


Reach The Beginning

by triniharteyes



Category: Power Rangers, Power Rangers (2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Body Swap AU, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Friendship/Love, Humor, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance, Slow Burn, kim and trini swap bodies, kind of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 11:00:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 27,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24848683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/triniharteyes/pseuds/triniharteyes
Summary: On her 17th birthday, Trini Gomez makes a half-hearted wish for her life to be different. To be seen, to have a home, people to call family. What she doesn’t expect, however, is waking up the next morning in her lab partners' body; Kimberly Hart - the queen bee and head cheerleader of Angel Grove High.orThe body-swap AU no one asked for
Relationships: Kimberly Hart & Trini, Kimberly Hart/Trini
Comments: 57
Kudos: 170





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Been working on this for a while and really excited to share it! <3
> 
> Title from 'Vows' by Naomi Scott

“I expect your worksheets on DNA structure and replication to be done by next Monday and do let me remind you that this is a joint effort. I did not assign you lab partners for no reason!” 

It was all the high school teacher could get out before her voice was overpowered by the shrill sound of the bell, dismissing the class. The students wasted no time before grabbing their belongings and heading for the door, eager to make their getaway. Biology was the last period of the day and most were adamant on getting out of the beige ridden walls of the high school; Trini Gomez included. 

She was hastily shoving her papers and textbooks into her backpack when her lab partner spoke up. “The usual, right? You do half, I do half and then we copy each other's answers?” 

“Whatever,” Trini grumbled. She hadn’t exactly been overjoyed when Kimberly Hart, the head cheerleader and queen bee of Angel Grove High, had been assigned as her lab partner at the beginning of the year. It was clear that the taller brunette hadn’t been too keen on it either - the two didn’t exactly run in the same social circles, and neither was interested in changing that any time soon. 

Trini still considered herself somewhat lucky though, despite the circumstances. For being a cheerleader, Kimberly seemed to know her stuff when it came to biology at least. She supposed that made sense, considering Mrs Hart was a highly successful neurosurgeon - if the hallway chatters were anything to go by. She hadn’t really bothered to get to know the girl and the preference was reciprocated. They had made up a system at the very beginning of the year for shared assignments where they’d each do half and copy the other for the rest. Trini liked it that way. Mainly because it meant minimal socializing and no room for unnecessary small talk with the girl.

“God, do you have to be so broody all the time?” Kim huffed out as she crossed her arms. Trini would be lying if she said she didn’t get a small kick out of annoying the cheerleader. She knew her lack of communication and responses limited to huffs, grunts, and “whatevers” frustrated the other girl but it only amused Trini. She figured Kim was just mad that Trini wasn’t someone she could have wrapped around her fingers, like the rest of Angel Grove high, fawning at every little thing she did. 

“Yup,” was all Trini said, no emotion present on her face and her yellow backpack slung over her shoulder as she made a beeline for the classroom door. She heard a disgruntled groan emitted from the girl behind her and Trini couldn’t help prevent the sly smirk that was making its way to her lips, before exiting the class. 

* * *

“Hey Trini! Trini, wait up!” 

She had just finished dumping her textbooks into her locker and shoving her way out the double doors of the school building when an exasperated call came from behind her. It didn’t take her long to figure out who it was, considering she didn’t exactly hang out with much of Angel Grove’s student body. 

She turned around, bringing a hand up to her forehead as she did, shielding her eyes from the blinding sun. “Hey, Billy. What’s up?” She noticed his shortness of breath and the single drop of sweat making its way down his temple. “What’s with the hurry?” she asked, a hint of amusement lingering in her voice. The boy was always getting into mischief and Trini wouldn’t be surprised if he had accidentally blown up his lunchbox _again._

“I wanted to see you before you went home. To wish you a happy birthday. Again.” Normally, Trini wouldn’t bother telling anyone her birthday - its not like her family ever stuck around anywhere long enough for it to matter - but after becoming friends with Billy, he had pointed out that a year had passed and she was yet to mention a birthday. He insisted that she clue him in so he could congratulate her on her next one. He even swore that no explosives would be involved. The promise came after he had ended up experimenting with his own birthday cake a few months ago, resulting in a basement covered in frosting and a not-too-pleased Candace Cranston. 

“I also wanted to give you this,” he reached into his backpack to uncover a duo of boxed donuts from Krispy Kreme. “I forgot to bring them with me to lunch today. They’ve been in my locker all day but they should be fine. The lockers should be at an optimal temperature to store dry foods in. Though I haven’t checked since the weather has gotten warmer.” He scratched his head in thought but continued before Trini could speak up, “anyway, I hope you like them. I wasn’t sure what to get you. I wasn’t sure if you’d be a fan of-“ 

Trini chimed in before he could continue, knowing how the boy could go on for hours if somebody didn’t stop him. “Hey, no, this is great. Really. I really appreciate it, Billy, thank you.” And it was true. Trini had never really bothered making friends, choosing instead to stay as the quiet, invisible girl anywhere she went. However, her parents had insisted that the move to Angel Grove would be the final one and so when she had been approached by Billy Cranston that first week at her new school, asking if he could sit with her at lunch, Trini had stopped fighting it for once and instead let the friendship develop naturally. Looking back, it was ultimately the best decision Trini had made when it came to her social life, considering Billy ended up being the closest thing to a best friend she’s had in a long time and the sweetest guy she has known. 

He was also the only person outside of her family that Trini had come out to and he had been nothing but supportive, a drastic difference from her parents' reaction. The bittersweet memory still made her smile, thinking of how endearing the boy had been that day, despite his usual lack of fondness for overt affection. 

“Any special plans for your birthday, then?” His chipper voice brought her out of her trance.

“I think my parents are just taking me and the twins to that new Vietnamese restaurant by the town square.” She didn’t add how she wasn’t exactly a huge fan of the cuisine but her mother had insisted they go there since the new owner, Mrs Kwan, was a new friend of June’s at church who had invited her several times. Her mother had claimed that it was rude not to and that it was important to keep up appearances, especially in a small town like this. Still, she had to be grateful that they were willing to take her out at all considering their relationship hadn’t been the greatest since Trini had come out to them a few months prior. 

Billy went on to excitedly discuss his favourite restaurants around town at length, which had somehow led him to the topic of physics and something about electromagnetic radiation Trini realized as she tuned back in. To be honest, she usually had a hard time keeping up with the more exuberant nature of the boy and the majority of the science terms he’d use would go right over her head but he was happy just to have someone to talk to and Trini was happy to listen. 

They finally said their goodbyes, Billy even going out of his comfort zone to hug the girl, insisting that he didn’t mind since it was her birthday and Trini was left to make her way back home - never ready to face the wrath that was June Gomez.

* * *

Kim was stood at the cliff edge, her clothes having been discarded seconds before, with her back facing the drop below. She took a long, deep breath before finally leaning her body back, allowing gravity to do its job as her feet slowly detached from the rocky foundation and she was soaring towards the water down below, head first. The time she spent in the air, letting the wind cradle her before the initial contact with the water, always felt like time had frozen yet that it never lasted long enough. Her next favourite part always came when she was engulfed by the ice-cold water; those first seconds of shock, as the adrenaline coursed through her veins and the cold numbed her body. She would always stay below the surface of the water for a few moments, almost pushing herself to see how long she could stay until her lungs gave out. 

She had discovered the little lake by the quarry a few months ago, right after the start of the school year. She hadn’t paid too much attention to it at first, but soon enough found herself visiting the quaint location almost every other day. It was nice. Having her own secret spot, kept away from the rest of Angel Grove. It was nice to have a space where she wasn’t burdened with the pressures of her parents or her school life. It was funny, she thought, how suffocated her parents could make her feel despite being so absent. She wasn’t ungrateful, she knew her parents worked hard to get to where they are. Yet, she couldn’t deny the way her chest tightened every time she came home to a dark empty house or to walk in only to be met by parents rushing out of the door, leaving merely chaste kisses to a cold cheek and a kitchen counter of disheveled dollar bills in their exit. Not to be seen again for days, as their business trips piled up. It’s why she enjoyed the lake. It was a different kind of quiet. More comforting than the eerily silence that usually crept up in her house. It was- 

“YO! KIMMY!” 

Short-lived. 

“Your mommas calling you,” the voice bellowed from the cliff edge she had jumped from just minutes ago. 

The lake hadn’t been the only discovery of that day many moons ago. Zack Taylor had made his presence known, right before Kim was to start stripping herself of her clothes to try out the water that first time, and had insisted that he wasn’t creeping but that he lived by the trailer park just on the other side. She knew him from school already; he had a certain way about him that charmed everyone he met, even if he didn’t show up most days. The two had easily fallen into a rhythm since that day and he’d often join her by the cliff, both enjoying the calm. Though he’d never get into the water himself, claiming that “ _perfecting this hair doesn’t come easy, Kimmy.”_ It usually earned him a good eye roll from the girl and a slap to the arm for the nickname. 

“She can wait,” she grumbled out as she made her way out of the water and up the cliffside. As much as she’d like to deny it, she had come to like his annoyingly endearing way about him and he was easily the only true friend she had at Angel Grove. Despite the perfect image of the head cheerleader and popular girl she was made to maintain, Kimberly didn’t actually have a lot of folks she considered her friends. Even if the people in question thought they were. In fact, Zack Taylor was probably one of very, very few in Angel Grove she could say she genuinely cared for. And the fact that he had been one of the only members of the male student body who hadn’t immediately jumped on the chance to ask out Kim, mere minutes after word had gotten out that she had dumped Ty Flemming, was a huge bonus. 

“I may not know what it's like to have an Indian mom, but if my Chinese mother is anything to go by…I know better than to ignore her call, my little Kim Possible,” he said it with such a shit-eating grin that Kim couldn’t help but kick him slightly as she stood above him, grabbing her phone. She’d put an end to his ridiculous nicknames one day. 

He hunched over in a mock display of pain as she answered the call and rolled her eyes. “Hey, Mom,” she kept the phone to her ear, using her other hand to wring out her hair of any excess water. Having impulsively cut her hair a few weeks ago after dumping Ty, definitely helped. It had grown a bit since then but her mother still disapproved; the recklessness didn’t line up with the image she wanted her daughter to fulfill.

“Hello, Kimberly,” her mother's voice was calm, yet always shadowed by a tone of assertiveness. She always talked to Kimberly as though she was one of her husband’s legal clients, not her daughter. “I’m calling to let you know your father and I will be back in town in a couple of hours. We’d like you to join us for dinner tonight.” 

“Yeah, okay, sounds good.” Kimberly was experienced enough by now to know that these rare dinners together only meant that they were celebrating a promotion, a win, or something equally as unequivocal that she didn’t really care about. 

“We’re celebrating your father’s win on the Jefferson’s case.” She expressed it as though it was of any interest to their daughter. Kim was proud of her parents, of course, she just sometimes wished their conversations and reasons to spend time together weren’t only limited to work. 

The older woman continued when Kim didn’t speak up. “We’ll come by the house to pick you up at 7. Your father wants to try that new Vietnamese restaurant that just opened up.” 

* * *

Trini stepped out of the car, glad to be met with fresh air after having spent the entirety of the drive crammed between her twin brothers as they fought over who knows what.

Seven-year-old Trini had barely wrapped her mind around being told she’d be getting a younger sibling, let alone _two_ baby brothers but she had quickly appointed herself the role of the protective older sister from the very first day they were brought home. Her love for them had only grown over the years, increasingly so when her relationship with her mother had started deteriorating. The boys would often sneak into Trini’s room on nights where there had been a particularly bad fight between June and the younger girl, claiming to be her knight in shining armor, protecting her from the bad. Of course, it usually ended with the boys arguing over who would be the prince and who would be the evil dragon keeping him from the beautiful princess. Nevertheless, Trini couldn’t help but find it endearing and it would always get her mind off the arguments with her mother, even if only until the next morning. 

Even so, for present-day Trini, the energy of the two ten-year-olds was no match for the teenager. They were currently running circles around her, relieving the pent up energy of having sat in the car. She could faintly hear their mother in front of them, whispering in a hushed tone about how _this is a nice restaurant_ and that they _need to be on their best behavior_ as soon as they step inside. 

She felt a gentle hand placed on her shoulder and turned to see her father leaning in, “Don’t worry, mija. I made her promise not to make the waiters sing when they bring your cake,” he shot her a wink and grabbed the door, holding it open for her. 

“Gracias, papá,” she smiled at the sentiment, glad that he knew her well enough to realize how much she would detest the attention in a big restaurant like this. 

Her relationship with her father had always been steady for the most part. He wasn’t around enough for it to ever develop beyond that but Trini knew he worked hard as the sole provider for their family and she could never resent him for that. When she came out to them, it seemed like he sided with his wife out of sheer convention but it was clear that it didn’t reflect his own views. Still, he was too much of a family man to ever openly speak against his wife but he would show his support in his own ways and Trini appreciated it nonetheless. 

They finally settled down in the restaurant, at a round table in the far back. It was nicer than Trini had expected. The locale seemed to be at maximum capacity for the night, people eager to see the new restaurant that had been the buzz of the town for the past week. A quaint town like Angel Grove didn’t see the sight of fresh businesses too often, so anything novel was always met with feverishness. The interior was lined with the soft hues of red and yellow lights and the faint sound of string and wind instruments could be heard playing through the speaker, what Trini assumed to be traditional Vietnamese music. If one concentrated, they could hear the distinct sound of an array of orders being thrown back and forth in the kitchen, with the scent of the freshly prepared food making its way to the eager restaurant-goers. 

After a waiter came to take their order, the boys settled into an argument over who the coolest superhero is and her parents fell into a light conversation over Michael’s work and June’s new friends from the church. Trini was sat, fidgeting slightly with the straps of her dress. Her mother had brought it up to her room an hour before they had left for the restaurant, presenting it as her birthday gift to the girl. She knew her mother disliked the way Trini dressed, always eager to get her out of ripped jeans and old flannels, insisting that no boys would want a girl who presented herself like that. Trini always held her tongue and refrained from making a snarky comment, knowing that it would only lead to one of June Gomez’s famous two-hour lectures. Which is what led her here, shifting uncomfortably in her seat, not used to the amount of skin she was exposing or without her trusted beanie.

“Mamí! Mamí! Can we give Trini her present yet?” 

“Gabriel, maybe we should wait until after dinner, sí?” June said. 

“Please, mamí!” Diego, the quieter of the two, spoke up. 

She always had a hard time saying no to the twins so she gave out a small sigh and relented, the boys wasting no time to bring the small bag up at her grant. “I have to say, I’m curious to know what the boys got you,” she said, her gaze focused on Trini, “they insisted on having papá take them to the mall last week,” she finished, her eyes landing on Michael with a soft beam. He threw a weak smile in Trini’s direction before shifting nervously in his seat. 

Trini picked up the gift-wrapped present, carefully unraveling it to reveal a small jewelry box. She opened it to be faced with a delicate silver necklace, a round charm hanging at the end. A rainbow was etched on, encircling the silver pendant with its colours. It was simple and elegant yet bold, enough to make a statement. It warmed her heart in an unfamiliar way. She looked up as a stray tear escaped her eye, meeting her father's gaze as a quick habitual wink was sent her way. She wasn’t sure if she could ever express her gratitude in a way he’d truly understand. 

“Tri, I can help you put it on!” Gabriel exclaimed.

Before he could reach for the piece of jewelry, a hand on his arm stopped him. “Perhaps we can wait until we get home, no?” Her mother's words were intended for the younger boy, but her eyes directed at Trini. Her mood had shifted significantly and her tone drowned in discontent as she continued, “We don’t want people to get the wrong idea.”

The elation Trini had felt mere seconds ago diminished as quickly as it had arrived. She slumped her shoulders in disbelief and locked her eyes on her mother, almost pleading. A part of her had believed, hoped, that the woman would eventually come around to her daughter's sexuality but even now, months after coming out, the optimism seemed only futile. If her mother could not even accept the minuscule display of her identity in the form of a necklace, one which would not even be picked up on by most, Trini wasn’t sure if she would ever feel the embrace of her mother’s support. Not now, not ever. 

She didn’t want to stick around long enough to have it confirmed. She quietly excused herself, the words coming out more choked than she expected, hinged by the tightness in her throat from the tears that were threatening to fall. She stood up just as her father's hand closed in on her wrist to stop her and his pleading gaze fell to his wife. “June, por favor, it is just a necklace.” 

She freed herself from her father's grip, scanning the room quickly for a getaway; somewhere hidden from the crowd of diners. She located the bathrooms and left in a haste, yet not quick enough to avoid hearing her mother’s whispered scold. “I just don’t understand why you would encourage this, Michael.”

She couldn’t fight the tears that escaped, racing down her swollen cheeks to reach her trembling lips as she pushed open the bathroom door. 

* * *

Kim was stood by the sink, hip resting against the ceramic, as she aimlessly scrolled through her phone. They had arrived at the restaurant twenty minutes ago, with Kimberly excusing herself for the bathroom shortly after having their orders taken. She wasn’t particularly interested in anything on her screen, using the distraction more as a way to delay the inevitable of having to go back to their table. She wasn’t incredibly eager to go back to her parents' conversation about work; her father talking about his new clients at the law firm and her mother throwing around medical terms that Kim’s high school biology classes definitely didn’t cover. Only when they had first sat down had they addressed Kim, mainly to question if she’s staying on top of her classes and her extracurriculars. Kim, of course, responding with what she knew they wanted to hear. 

She continued scrolling through her Instagram feed when a picture of Amanda Clarke kissing Ty’s cheek showed up. It had been posted on the blonde’s private account, the one followed mainly by the other cheerleaders and some of the jocks. Before Kim had a chance to react, the bathroom door was violently burst open, jolting her body forward. 

In the midst of her shock, her phone had slipped out of her hand, landing on the tile floor beneath her. “ _Fuck_ ,” she whispered to herself as she bent down to retrieve it, relief washing over her seeing the screen still intact. As she made the move to stand up, her eyes started scanning the body of the person who had so unceremoniously entered and indirectly almost broken her phone. 

A pair of smooth tan legs were covered just above the knees by the hem of a black dress. Her eyes slowly continued upwards as the seamless material wrapped around more skin. It was more modest than the few dresses Kim owned but it still showed off the petite girls figure in the best way. Her back was towards Kim but the strangers face would have been visible if it weren’t for the black voluminous hair cascading down past her jaw and shoulders. Her head was down, a hand coming up to cover even more of her face as her shoulders slightly shook and it was only then that Kimberly realized that the mystery girl was crying. 

Out of instinct, she moved slightly closer and almost brought a hand up to the girl's shoulder before realizing she didn’t actually know this person. “Hey, are you okay?” she went with instead, concern laced in her voice. 

The girl’s head spun around almost instantaneously, clearly having thought she was alone, and Kim was pretty sure she would have been whipped in the face by the long hair had she been standing any closer. It was only when the hair settled that the face finally came into view and that’s when they both froze. And Kim realized that this wasn’t a stranger after all. 

It was Trini Gomez. 

The same Trini who would simply grunt and roll her eyes whenever Kim had to ask for a pen after forgetting her own or who would pull her yellow beanie further down her face if Kim ever attempted small talk. And now she was standing here in front of Kim, a little black dress on, and _crying_ in a random restaurant bathroom they both happened to be in at the same time. 

“Didn’t realize anybody was in here” the shorter of the two quietly mumbled out with a slight shake in her voice, barely audible. She turned back to the sinks, wetting her hands and dabbing at her eyes and cheeks to calm the flushness, getting rid of signs that she’d been crying. 

“Is everything okay?” 

It only earned her a hard glare through the mirror as the girl had quickly retreated back to her usual stoic state, despite having been crying just moments ago. Kim knew it was a stupid question because obviously she was not okay but she never knew how to approach the withdrawn girl. She hadn’t exactly made an effort anyway, having quickly learned at the beginning of their partnership that she wasn’t going to get much out of the shorter girl. Still, she always admired the fact that Trini was one of the few people at school who didn’t blindly idolize the head cheerleader.

“You can talk to me, you know.” She wasn’t sure why she was pushing it. She barely knew the girl. But something about seeing her so vulnerable after months of only being met with scowls and unimpressed looks made a certain wave of care and concern wash over Kim. It reminded her that underneath that guarded exterior, Trini was a real person at the end of the day. With feelings and problems and all. Just like Kim.

“Right,” Trini spoke, moving over to the paper towels to dry her hands before continuing, “no offense, Kimberly, but the head cheerleader is probably the last person I want to talk to.” 

She guessed she deserved that. Kim knew the reputation that came with being the head cheerleader but at some point, she had given up trying to prove herself to people who didn’t matter.

Kim wasn’t sure what to focus on though. Hearing her name rolling off the girl’s tongue for the first time, how this was probably more words than Trini had said to her all year combined or how surprisingly soft her voice is when she’s not mumbling. Before her brain had time to catch up, Trini was already making her way through the door to leave. “Wait!” She quickly scrambled to the door, coming to a halt on the other side, slightly surprised to see Trini actually waiting for her. 

She didn’t seem patient however, judging by her crossed arms and the harsh “ _What?”_ she huffed out. 

Kim had to take a second to ask herself that. She wasn’t sure why she had called out after her. Maybe a part of her had hoped to get a few more words out of the girl. 

An older lady approached them, starting up a conversation with Trini, saving Kim from having to scrape together a coherent answer. 

She stood to the side awkwardly, half-listening to the small talk between Trini and the woman who Kim deduced to be a family friend of the younger girl considering Trini was actually giving an attempt of a smile and replying politely. It was probably the most articulate Kim had ever seen her. 

“And oh, what a pretty dress,” the woman gushed, one hand resting on Trini’s shoulder to get a feel of the material.

“Thank you, Mrs. Kwan,” her voice soft and her smile shy.

She smiled brightly at the two girls, acknowledging Kim too this time, before speaking up again. “Well hurry along now, your mother wouldn’t want me keeping the birthday girl all to myself. And I need to make sure my restaurant's kitchen isn’t being burned down,” she joked as she made a final wave of goodbye before leaving. 

Kim probably would have registered the fact that the woman was the owner of the restaurant if her other words hadn’t caught more of her attention. She turned to see Trini, arms wrapped around herself and eyes glued to the floor, as though she was embarrassed for having had Kim there to witness the interaction. 

A second passed before Kim finally spoke up, unsure if she should say anything at all. “Happy birthday,” she said, though it came out more awkward than she had wanted, and she rubbed the back of her neck nervously.

“Thanks,” Trini murmured quietly. It came out in her usual mumble but Kim thought about how it was probably the most polite thing she had ever said to her. A beat passed and Trini took that as the end of their interaction and turned to make her way back to her table before Kim spoke up. 

“She was right, by the way.” 

She was met by a raised eyebrow and an expectant look from Trini, taking it as her cue to continue. 

“It’s a really pretty dress.” 

Kim wasn’t sure what had compelled her to say something like that and she thought she might have overstepped judging by Trini’s narrowed eyes and slight scowl. No more words were exchanged and she didn’t know if it was wishful thinking but she could swear she saw the tiniest hint of a smile on Trini’s lips right before she turned and walked away.

* * *

She was back at the table, her run-in with Kim replaying in her head. She’d been thrown off seeing the girl in the bathroom, feeling vulnerable in those first seconds before she regained her composure. Trini had always hated crying in front of people, her own family included. All those times she’d wanted to stand up for herself against her mother, tell her she’s wrong, that there isn’t something wrong with Trini. A fleet of words would confidently build on the tip of her tongue, ready to fight back. Only to be drowned again by the waves of her shedded tears, the all-too-familiar salty taste making their way down to her lips before she’d have a chance to escape to her room. The slamming of the door providing only a brief damper to her cry. 

The point is, it made her feel weak. Powerless. And she definitely didn’t need anyone to pity her; Kimberly Hart included. Yet, there had been a surprising air of comfort surrounding Trini during the interaction, despite the exposed state she had been caught in. It felt different somehow, in a good way. Different from what usually radiated in their few and limited exchanges. Not that Trini would have let it shown. 

However, despite the small smile that had involuntarily made its way to her lips at the very end, Trini had to remind herself of who Kimberly is. A compliment like that isn’t handed out by someone like Kim without other intentions behind it. Or her feigned concern for Trini. If her past experiences were anything to go by, Trini knew that mean girls like that only preyed on the vulnerable in hopes of building up firepower. Knowing they had the ability to knock anyone off the social hierarchy that was present in every school. Even though she had never cared for the ridiculous grouping that came with high school, Trini couldn’t help but let her mind replay their conversation over and over again, desperately hoping that nothing had been said that the cheerleader could use against her at some point. 

It gnawed at her but at least it distracted her from the painful energy that she had returned to at the table. 

The rest of the dinner with her family was spent in an awkward stifle. The silence only broken momentarily when June had insisted the twins stop playing with their food. The saving grace of the night came when Mrs Kwan personally brought out Trini’s birthday cake. She exchanged pleasantries with everyone, cooing at how adorable the boys looked with their ties and generally distracting the family from their otherwise stale dinner. 

She said her goodbyes, addressing Trini last with, “Don’t forget to make a wish,” and walking away after a beat. A strange look had accompanied her words. One Trini couldn’t quite make out. Like it was supposed to hold weight but Trini didn’t know what she was carrying. She brushed it off. She figured she wasn’t exactly close enough to the woman for it to have meant anything, their interactions limited to small talk the few times Trini had joined her mom at church.

It wasn't long before the twins spoke up.

“Yeah, Tri, you have to make a wish!” 

“But you can’t tell us or it won’t come true!” 

“Diego’s right,” his tone was more solemn this time, “that’s why we never got that PS4 last year,” Gabriel continued, before both looked down glumly at the memory. Trini couldn’t help but smile fondly at them before turning her attention back to the glow of the candles in front of her. 

Truth is, it’s been years since Trini believed in this whole making a wish thing. Like most things from her childhood, that guileless belief in anything magic had only faltered as she got older. Instead replaced with the unrelenting reality of the real world, its cynicism making nest within her as the years went by. 

Even so, she couldn’t help but let her mind wander. What did she want? What would she wish for, given the chance? She had asked herself that more than once but no matter what, it felt like her thoughts always led to the same answer; a sign. 

Trini wanted a sign. Proof that this was all temporary, that her life wouldn’t always be like this. That she’d get out. Away from her mother’s scrutiny; the watchful glare always hiding behind a wall of disappointment. Away from Angel Grove. She didn’t necessarily have a problem with the town. It was actually one of the nicer places they had lived in, despite her incline towards bigger cities. 

Still. It wasn’t home. Not that Trini really knew what that meant anymore. 

Her eyes momentarily drifted to the other end of the restaurant, where other diners were seated. More specifically, Kimberly. She had seen her walk back to her own table after Trini had left her. She looked to the couple sitting opposite the girl, talking animatedly back and forth. 

Is that what Trini wanted? The cliché? The picture perfect life with the two successful parents and the daughter who had it all? 

It wasn’t. Not exactly. It’s not their money or Kim’s popularity that she wanted. It’s what she was looking at right now that she wanted. A family, having dinner, talking. No underlying judgement or hostility thickening the air. And she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t only a little jealous of Kim. Not necessarily in the malicious or spiteful kind of way. More of how _easy_ it seemed for Kim. Easy to be seen. To be heard. Not having to walk around hiding underneath a cloud of self-doubt and uncertainty. Instead, surrounded by people that respected her. 

When it came down to it, if she really thought about it, Trini supposed that’s what she wanted. Not the following of high school minions, per se. But to be seen, to have a home, people to call family. She knew she had her brothers. Her dad. Billy. And she wouldn’t trade them for the world. Even so, something else was calling out to her. Something more than just this. 

She shifted her eyes back, meeting four sets of expectant stares. She took a deep breath, extinguishing the candles that had been warming against her skin, trying to let go of the thoughts weighing her down with her exhale. An excited array of claps and wishes came from the boys and Michael and a small _happy birthday mija_ from June. 

She took one last glance at the table on the far end of the restaurant. Only to be met with Kim staring back at her, a half-smile forming on her lips as she locked eyes with Trini. 

* * *

Trini groaned as the sun reached her face, the harsh light waking her from her deep slumber. She must have forgotten to pull down her blinds last night. She stretched, her limbs feeling unusually heavy that morning and she blindly reached for her phone on the nightstand. But instead had the back of her hand smacked against some sort of wall. She begrudgingly opened her eyes, wanting to see the cause of her way-too-early morning disturbance. 

Only to be met with pink. 

_A lot_ of pink. 

She quickly twisted in the bed that she now noticed was way bigger than the one she’s used to. Her arms flailed as she did so, dropping to her sides as she stood up and Trini realized why they had felt so heavy earlier. Had she somehow grown five inches over night? Her eyes scanned the room, adjusting to seeing things at this height, only to be faced with even more pink, along with furniture and decorations she didn’t recognize. 

She figured she must be dreaming seeing as how she knows for a fact that she went straight to bed last night after coming home from the restaurant. Nor did she actually have anywhere she would have slept over at and Billy wasn’t exactly the type of guy to be so into pink. More importantly, it was too quiet. No screaming twins down the hall or the sound of her mother yelling at Trini to get her ass downstairs unless she wants to be late for school. 

Yet, it all felt too lucid to be a dream. 

Her senses usually betrayed her during her dreams; everything cryptic and hazy. But here, she could feel the soft carpet underneath her feet, see the array of textbooks and clothes messily scattered around the room, and she could hear the faint chirping of birds outside and the distant bark of a dog. It felt normal. Habitual. Despite the fact that this definitely wasn’t her room and she felt somewhat uneasy in her body; her hair feeling lighter, limbs longer and her eyes at a taller height than she’s used to. 

She quickly charged towards the bathroom she had noticed during her sweep, almost tripping over herself as her strides were longer than she had been expecting. She hunched over the sink immediately, turning on the tap and splashing cold water on her face in the hope that it would help rationalize all this. 

But it's only when Trini looked up again, facing the mirror, that she realized this wasn’t a dream. This was a _nightmare._ Because the reflection staring back at her wasn’t her own, the one that had faced her everyday for 17 years. 

No, it was _Kimberly Harts._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos are always appreciated! <3  
> 
> 
> As always, you can find me on tumblr @ triniharteyes


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not a lot of Trimberly interaction this chapter but Jason finally makes an appearance!

“Trinity Maria Gomez, por la última vez, get down here or you’re gonna be late for school!” 

Kim didn’t know who the hell Trinity was or why this voice had been repeating the same thing for the latter part of her dream, or how her subconsciousness even knew Spanish, but it was _seriously_ getting in the way of her slumber. Kimberly Hart was a lot of things but she was _not_ a morning person. 

Thankfully that last shout had stirred her awake, having already forgotten the dream as she nestled further into the bed to try and fall back asleep now that there was some peace and quiet. 

“Do not make me come in there, young lady,” the voice was gradually getting louder. Closer. “I will drag you out of bed again if it's the last thing I do.” 

Great. Her brain chose to continue _this_ dream but not the one she’d had a while back about Ty Flemming. The one where she had woken up right before getting ready to punch him in the face. 

The door burst open, jolting Kim awake and suddenly there was a woman she had never seen before standing at the foot of the bed. A very angry woman at that. “Who the hell are you?” she cried out, bringing the cover over herself as if it would protect her. Maybe not the most polite wording Kim could have used but she wasn’t really looking to be polite with a stranger suddenly in her room. Except…she finally glanced at her surroundings and this wasn’t her room. Or her bed. Or…was her voice always that high? 

“Language!” 

Kim looked up again, only to see the woman somehow even angrier than before. Kim’s eyes darted around the room and then back down to her hands, twisting and turning to look at the small nimble fingers that didn’t resemble her own. It only added to her confusion but before she could register it, a hand was grabbing her cheeks and dark brown eyes were staring directly at her, only inches away. “Trinity, are you on drugs? Do I need to make you pee in a cup again?” 

Seriously, who the hell was Trinity and why did this woman want her pee. 

“What?” 

The woman let go of her face, huffing as she stepped back. “We’ll discuss this more later. As of right now, I expect you downstairs, dressed and ready for school in 5 minutes.” She made her way back to the door, calling out one last time, “A second later and you don’t want to know what happens.” 

She was right. Kim had no idea what was going on or where she was but the only thing she was certain of that morning was that she definitely did not want to piss off that woman again. Whatever this was, she’d have to figure it out later. She quickly pushed herself off the bed only to take two steps before face planting the floor. Whoever this body belonged to was ridiculously short. 

It was only when she was back up on her feet, next to the full-length mirror that everything started to make more sense. 

Well, as much sense as apparently waking up in someone else’s body could make. And not just anybody…

Trini Gomez. 

_Trinity_ Gomez. 

* * *

“Billy, we need to talk.” 

“U-Uhm, hey K-Kimberly. Kimberly Hart.” 

His confusion was understandable; it’s not everyday somebody like Kim comes up to talk to someone like Billy Cranston. Then again, it's not every day you wake up in somebody else’s body, Trini thought. 

She had been thankful to find Kimberly’s class schedule stuffed in the back of her bag, figuring she couldn’t exactly show up to her own considering the…circumstances. She was even more thankful to find out that Billy and the cheerleader shared the same fourth period Math class. The shorter girl had had no luck tracking the boy down until then, her morning having been spent running between unfamiliar classrooms.

Finally, though, she had managed to catch up to him, following him to his locker after class almost stalker style. Their independent study time in class hadn’t allowed Trini to talk to him, so instead, she had sat in agitation, leg bouncing continuously for almost an hour before the blare of the dismissal bell had rung and Trini swore she had never heard a sweeter sound. 

She hadn’t exactly gotten much work done in her classes, _Kimberly’s_ classes, and she made a mental note to apologise later. Or not. Whatever. Trini didn’t really care. She had bigger things to worry about and she needed answers. And Billy Cranston was probably the most likely person to have some sort of logical explanation for this. 

“No, Billy, it’s me,” she realised that didn’t exactly help with his confusion so she continued, “Trini. Trini Gomez?” 

“Uh, okay,” the boy awkwardly got out, his face even more perplexed than before. He looked around, probably assuming that this was all just a prank and that the other jocks and cheerleaders would come around the corner any second now. Instead, the hallway just had a few loitering students not having made their way to lunch yet, some looking in their direction before leaning to whisper among themselves. Presumably curious as to what the unexpected duo could be talking about. 

It’s something Trini had noticed the second she’d walked into the high school that morning. How much people _stared._ She knew it wouldn’t be a normal day; waking up in the head cheerleaders body wasn’t exactly a regular occurrence after all. But all the attention isn’t quite something Trini had anticipated. She was used to keeping her head down, minding her business and not having the spotlight on her. She liked it that way. No one bothered her. So when she’d walked into Angel Grove high that morning and all eyes were on her, or rather, Kimberly Hart, Trini felt uneasy to say the least.

Some had even come up to make conversation with her but she’d managed to dodge most of them and those she couldn’t escape in time had only been met with the response of a low mumble along the lines of being late to class or having to pee. With some, Trini had even straight-up walked away from before they could open their mouths. Hopefully, people just assumed the cheerleader was having an off day. 

“Ookay, uhm, I’m gonna head to lunch,” Billy drawled out, assuming this was one of those jokes he couldn’t quite understand. He turned to walk away when the girl hadn’t offered any more explanation. 

“No, wait!” She swiftly moved around him, knowing not to grab his arm, and forced him to a stop. “Look, I woke up in her body this morning and I have no idea how or why or what I should do and I need your help.”

It came out desperate, words rolling out after the other with no beats in between but low enough to not garner unwanted ears. He looked at her, even more at a loss than before and her brows creased into a frown, frustrated. 

“Uhm okay, let’s see,” her mind was scrambled, trying to find something, anything, that would convince him. Something only she would know, “Oh! Cramston!” She realised she said that with way too much excitement, knowing that had been the nickname bullies had used but she was determined to make her point still. “You told me kids used to call you that, saying you crammed tons of crayons up your butt. Which I know you didn’t! I remember because you went into _way_ too much detail on why that is not physically possible,” her face twisted in slight disgust at the memory. 

He made a tutting sound with his tongue, “Man, come on, that was like ten years ago! You stopped me just to remind me of that? Not cool, Kimberly.” 

Okay, so that didn’t work. She forgot everyone in tiny Angel Grove basically grew up together. 

“Shit, okay, hold on,” she knew it was a touchy topic but it's the first thing she could think of. “Your dad. You told me about your dad. He used to work at the mine, right? And you guys would go find objects together. Like that show American Pickers! Your words, not mine.” He narrowed his eyes, trying to determine whether there was a way the cheerleader would know about that before Trini spoke up again. “Oh and your rib! You have this small scar on your rib from when you accidentally blew up your old freezer and a piece of debris cut you. And I had to help patch you up because you didn’t want your mom finding out.” 

He stood there, silent, contemplating her words. Trini still felt it was hopeless though. “Please, Billy, come on. You have to believe me,” her eyes bleeding of plead. Another beat of silence until finally, a sigh of defeat from Trini. “I really liked those donuts yesterday, by the way.” 

Apparently Krispy Kreme was all it took because before she knew it, he was clapping his hands together like he often did and eyes lit up in glee. “This is just like when Ock and Peter swap consciousness in The Superior Spider-Man comics!” 

_Thank God._ Relief washed over her, grateful that her friend had believed her and knowing that this was probably the start of getting some answers to this craziness. 

“Except hopefully neither of you die.” 

“Uhm, what’s that now?” 

* * *

Kim hadn’t even bothered showing up to the first half of the school day. After narrowly escaping another berating from Trini’s mother and the rest of the family, she’d quickly headed for her own house. That had proven to be more difficult than she’d anticipated, realising that she had no idea where she actually was, not familiar with the side of town Trini’s house was located. The girl’s password-protected phone had been rendered useless as well, which had led to Kimberly aimlessly walking around until she had finally located Jason Scott’s house. She had spent enough time at the quarterback's house during parties to be able to find her way home from there. 

That had quickly proved to be pointless too though as she stood in front of the door and remembered that she didn’t actually have any of her belongings, which included her house keys. After checking if any of the windows were open, which they weren’t, she’d decided to head towards Zack’s house instead. Even if he couldn’t help make sense of it, it’d be a relief having someone else to talk to before going to school to track Trini down. And she figured lingering around the Hart house in a stranger’s body probably wouldn’t bode well with her nosy neighbours. 

She finally made it to his place on the other side of the mountain, not hesitating to pound on the trailer door. 

“Zack, open up!” 

He was probably still asleep, skipping out on school for the day as he did rather often. Kim didn’t care though, knocking hard a few more times.

She wrapped her arms around herself, shivering from the winds at the higher altitude, as she waited for the door to open. She was clad in what seemed to be Trini’s only pair of shorts and a crop top she’d found stashed in the back of the closet that was otherwise stocked with flannels and ripped jeans, apart from what seemed to be the black dress she’d been wearing at the restaurant last night. Everything had looked way too small the first time Kimberly picked them up, before remembering the girl was tiny. 

“Come on, you little shit, open the door!” 

The sound of the latch being unlocked was heard before the door swung open to reveal a shirtless Zack Taylor in pyjama bottoms and halfway through a yawn. His eyes finally adjusted and his face morphed from sleepy to downright confused. He wasn’t sure who he had been expecting to be adamantly knocking at his door at 11 am but this was not it. 

“Oh, hey…uhm Deedee, right?” 

“What? No, it’s Trini. I mean,” she huffed out in annoyance, “It’s me, Kim. In Trini’s body.” She pushed past him, entering the small kitchen and making a beeline for the cereal. She hadn’t eaten since she’d hastily left the Gomez’ house this morning, wanting to avoid as much interaction with the strangers until she could get some answers. And she knew she’d need to be fed if she was going to have the patience to explain all this to Zack. 

He was staring dumbfounded at her as she casually grabbed everything she needed to make herself a bowl, already familiar with the layout of the small kitchen. A smug grin took over his face though as he finally spoke up, “Alright, listen, Crazy Girl, I get why you’d be into all this,” he gestured up and down his body with his hands, “but my mom’s asleep in the other room so I’m not having sex with you right now, no matter how hot you are.” 

Kim almost choked on her cereal, bringing a hand up to wipe off the milk that had escaped her mouth before using it to throw a hard punch at the boy. “Taylor, _ew_ , is that seriously how you talk to girls when I’m not around? That’s so fucking gross.” 

He rubbed his arm, soothing it from the pain of the punch. The kind of punch only one other girl he knew used to like throwing. His face twisted into bewilderment, and then a grimace, knowing his theory was absurd but choosing to throw it out there anyway. 

“K-Kim?” 

* * *

“So you just…woke up this morning?” 

“Yup.”

“In Kimberly Hart’s body?” 

“Yup.”

“No idea how it could have happened?”

“Nope.” 

They were sat on the bleachers, the most secluded area of the school they could find during the lunch hour. Having the eyes and ears of most of the student body in the cafeteria wouldn’t be ideal as Billy and Trini tried to figure this whole mess out. However, for the most part, it had been spent with Trini insisting that _no,_ she had no idea how this could have happened and _no,_ she had not somehow got hold of the brain-swapping Octobot used in Spider-Man and _no,_ she most definitely was _not_ going to Kimberly’s cheer practice after school. 

“So like, if this is more of a Freaky Friday situation…doesn't that mean Kimberly is running around right now in your body somewhere?” 

_Oh_ , s _hit._

Trini hadn’t even thought of that. She was so preoccupied trying to find Billy that morning and figuring this out that she hadn’t even considered the possibility that Kim had woken up in the exact same predicament. She let out a huff of annoyance, “God, she better not be doing anything stupid.” 

“Have you seen her at all today?” 

She hadn’t. If Billy’s theory on her being in Trini’s body was true then she was sure she would have remembered seeing her own figure roaming the hallways. 

“No,” she grunted out, “she hasn’t even bothered showing up to any classes. My classes. Of course she thinks she can do whatever she wants, not caring that I’ll be the one facing the consequences. Ugh, including my mom. How the hell am I going to explain why I wasn’t in class this morning.”

Billy stayed silent, knowing the girl usually liked to rant for the sake of letting it out and he happily listened. She groaned, closing her eyes as she leaned back with her elbows against the stands behind her while Billy took a bite of his sandwich. “God, out of everyone I just had to swap bodies with the most annoying person in school, didn’t I?” 

“More annoying than the girl who always yanks your headphones off to talk to you?” 

She let out a low chuckle, “you’re right, nobody’s more annoying than her.” 

“But hey, maybe this whole thing is like some sort of weird life lesson, like ‘walk a mile in somebody else’s shoes’ and whatnot. To make you better appreciate your own life, you know? My mom always says it’s important to think about what others might be dealing with before you judge them.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’d much rather have swapped with, I don’t know, a turtle if that’s the case.” 

“I’ve always wanted a turtle!” he spoke up excitedly. “Mom never let me get one, though. She was worried I’d never clean the tank. Which is probably true.” He took another bite until he perked up again, “but I’d definitely keep it clean if you were the turtle!” 

“That’s…sweet, Billy. I think. Thanks.” 

He responded with a wide grin and a thumbs up and Trini couldn’t help but return a small smile. 

“You have last period with her though, right? She’ll probably be there if she’s just as weirded out.” 

That was true, Trini thought to herself. There’d be no reason for Kim to avoid Trini and they’d probably have better luck figuring this out together. Hopefully sooner rather than later. Trini wasn’t sure how long they’d be stuck like this and they didn’t exactly know enough about each other to keep it up forever. They lead completely different lives and Trini wasn’t sure how they were going to manage acting normal to not raise suspicion of those around them. It wouldn’t be the easiest thing to explain to people when they barely understood it themselves.

“It’ll be okay, you know,” Billy spoke up again after a while. She simply hummed in response, too far in her thoughts to have heard what he said. “This whole thing. We’ll figure it out. Together,” he continued, offering a warm smile. 

She returned it, grateful to have him through this. The whole situation was all sorts of ridiculous and she was thankful that he’d not only believed her instead of thinking she’d lost her mind, which she probably would have if someone had said this to her, but also offering his support and reassurance which was much needed.

“Thanks, B. I definitely hope so.” 

They sat like that for a few more minutes, Billy finishing his sandwich and Trini silently mulling to herself and occasionally stealing a few chips from his lunchbox until it was time to head back. 

“She better not be getting tattoos or making out with any gross boys in _my_ body, though.” 

* * *

Trini huffed as she sat in the library going over her English homework. It was free period, the last hour before Biology and still no sign of Kim. She figured she may as well get some work done because even if Kim had decided not to show up to her classes, Trini wasn’t going to let it ruin her grades completely.

She had strategically chosen to sit at the table in the far back of the library, the one hidden away in the corner, behind the shelves lined with dust-ridden books that hadn’t been picked up in years. It would spare any unwanted conversations with Kimberly’s circle. The cheerleader’s phone had already been blowing up all day, mainly by Amanda and Harper and a few others whose names Trini didn’t recognise but assumed to be other members of the cheer squad. She’d eventually just turned the phone off, essentially deeming it a brick since she didn’t have the passcode. Not that she was particularly interested in responding anyway. What would she write? 

_hey sorry, woke up in someone else’s body this morning. text u later?_

She stared back at her essay, focusing, but not really. Her eyes would drift across the page, rereading the last sentence over and over and eventually it would inspire another string of words or two. Even three, if she was really lucky. Her mind would drift between doing that and thinking about Kimberly. She was still holding out hope that the girl would show up but the more she obsessively thought about it, the hope turned to frustration and the frustration turned to anger. 

She was angry that Kim still hadn’t shown up and she was angry that there was no one to sit her down and provide a no-nonsense explanation as to why all this was happening and angry that out of all the people this could have happened to, it had to be her and it had to be with Kimberly Hart and - 

She didn’t know how long she’d been in her spiral because when she looked up, Jason Scott was sliding into the chair directly in front of her. 

Great. Exactly the type of person she was hoping to attract. 

She didn’t even know the quarterback and maybe it was wrong of her to stereotype but she’d spent enough time at enough schools to know that when it came down to it, jocks and cheerleaders and the likes were almost always the same. Maybe there was some sort of psychology behind it; something about how the power and visibility that comes with the status triggers the reward centres in the brain and makes kids feel like they’re indestructible. As for right now, though? Trini decided to go with the fact that popular kids are usually just downright _mean._

“Hey, Kim. Can we talk?” 

She fiddled with her pen, hoping she could make sure this conversation wouldn’t last long. “Uhm, I’m sort of busy right now, Jason. Can this wait?” 

As in, wait until the person this body actually belongs to regains it?

“Please, Kim. You’re the only one I can talk to about this right now.” He frantically darted his eyes around the room, checking if anyone else was nearby. She wasn’t sure what his relationship with Kim was like or how close they were but judging by his behaviour, whatever he wanted to talk about was clearly eating him up inside. His leg was bouncing, shoulders slightly hunched and a slight glint of sweat was snaking its way down his forehead. Trini felt bad, not wanting to leave the guy hanging but she also had no idea where this conversation would be heading or if she’d be able to get through it smoothly. 

She gave in, figuring she’d have to deal with this sort of thing sooner or later if she was going to be stuck in Kim’s body for however long and she’d rather have the bandaid ripped off during a one-on-one. 

“Alright, what’s up?” 

“Okay, so,” he moved his chair closer, “A while back, I heard a couple of guys in the changing rooms talking about why you and Ty broke up. Which, good on you by the way, the guy’s a total douchebag,” he let out an awkward chuckle before continuing, “anyway, it’s kind of why I wanted to talk to you.” 

He finished with an expectant look, as though Trini should know where this was heading and if she didn’t know any better, she would say Jason Scott was about to ask Kimberly out. She stayed silent, hoping by some miracle that that’s not where the conversation was heading. 

He continued, “I know we haven’t really been that close since middle school but I just figured you’d be the best person to talk to since I don’t really know anyone else in our circle that’s...you know.” 

Another blank expression faced him. He sighed, realising his point wasn’t coming across and he did one last look around the library before scooting closer and leaning in, “Kim, I-I think...I think I’m _bi._ ” 

Oh. That definitely was not what Trini had been expecting. Her surprise must have been evident because Jason was fidgeting nervously and she wasn’t sure how long she had been sitting there looking dumbfounded because before she knew it, the football player was speaking up again. 

“Look, I’m really sorry to dump this on you, I just didn’t know who else to talk to,” he rubbed the back of his neck nervously, “I just knew I had to tell someone but if you’re not cool with it, it’s fine, we can completely forget about this.” He was fidgeting nervously with his hands again, getting ready to stand up and leave. “Pretend it never happened, you know.”

She quickly placed a hand over his, halting his fidgeting and stopping him from leaving. “Jason, it’s okay. It’s okay, I promise. Look, just take a deep breath with me.” 

She inhaled and he followed suit, relaxing significantly as his face softened, shooting Trini a grateful look. A pang of guilt quickly made it’s way to Trini’s chest, however. Realising that those words were not actually for her to hear, like she was invading his privacy or betraying him somehow because the person he trusted enough to come out to wasn’t actually there. 

Either way, she was here right now and she knew well enough how it feels not to be accepted by the people you trust and despite being strangers, she wasn’t going to let him feel like that. “First of, I’m really proud of you, okay? And I’m really glad you felt safe enough to talk to me about it.” She swallowed the small lump in her throat, pushing down the guilt that kept building. A beat passed as the boy took in her words. “Am I the first person you’ve told?” 

“Y-Yeah.” It came out almost as a whisper, his voice quivering like he was holding back tears.

She gave his hand a squeeze, prompting him to look up at her as she tried to shift the air between them, smiling as he did so. “Feels good, right?” 

A breathy chuckle followed, “Really fucking good,” bittersweet as it mixed with the tremble of his voice. 

A silence took over, more comfortable this time as Jason allowed himself to finally breathe without this weight hanging over him. Trini knew there was the usual array of questions whenever someone came out, like _how did you know_ or _when did you realise._ But she stayed silent, keeping her hold on his hand. She stayed silent because she knew that sometimes all you need is someone to listen. Someone to remind you that you’re not alone. 

“I just,” he took a deep breath to steady his voice before continuing, “I just don’t know what to do, you know? My dad, he has all these expectations of me. And I don’t want to feel like I’m disappointing him. And the guys on the team. My friends. I feel like I’m lying to them, you know.” 

She wasn’t sure when, but at some point she had started brushing her thumb over his hand, absentmindedly smoothing the skin. Trini didn’t consider herself a very touchy person, her love language came more in the form of acts or words; romantic or not. Spending the last year with Billy by her side had only solidified that. Yet, right now, something about hiding behind Kimberly made her feel less vulnerable. Like she could let her guard down without actually exposing herself. 

“Look, I can’t speak for your family or friends and I can’t promise you that everyone will react well,” she tried not to think about her own mother’s feelings, “but I can tell you that you shouldn’t feel bad about not telling them yet. Or never telling them, even. Deciding when and who you tell is completely your own choice and you don’t owe anyone anything, okay?” 

He was nodding along to her words, letting them sink in as he focused his now glassy eyes to their hands. She was about to speak up again when the bell rang, both jumping slightly in surprise. They looked at one another, a mutual understanding that the conversation had to be cut short but she didn’t miss the look of disappointment on his face. 

She gave his hand one last squeeze, before standing up and packing away her things. “I’m sorry I have to go but we can talk some more later if you want?” 

His shoulders no longer tense and his face visibly more relaxed than when he had first approached her, he shot a grateful look her way. “Thank you, Kim. I really appreciate it.” 

Trini watched him pick up his bag, walking away, and she tried to ignore the guilt building in her from the reminder that she wasn’t actually the person he thought he was confiding in.

* * *

Trini was beginning to grow anxious. She looked at the clock. Three minutes until the final bell would ring and signal the start of class. Still no Kimberly. A gnawing feeling was developing in the pit of her stomach. She reached into her backpack, grabbing the stuff she needed for class and placing it on her side of the desk. Though it felt purely robotic right now. Automated. Like she wasn’t really in control of her movements, like her reflexes took over while the rest of her mulled over her growing concern for the other girls' whereabouts. 

It had happened when she first entered the classroom as well. Her body instinctively sitting itself down on the side of the lab table where she’d usually be sitting. Where _Trini_ would usually be sitting. In the eyes of everyone else at least. That was before she’d swiftly moved over to the other seat. Before she had realized that Kim, the real Kim, was still not here. That there was no one to move over for.

Which is what led her here; now one minute before class began, fiddling nervously with the sleeves of Kimberly’s hoodie. Trying to ignore that feeling in the pit of her stomach, the one that had now resorted to making nest in every inch of her. Trying to ignore the thoughts that were threatening to invade her, telling her that maybe, maybe there was a possibility that Kimberly hadn’t woken up that morning, clouded by confusion just like Trini had done. That maybe Trini’s body was lying lifeless somewhere, Kim’s soul having evaporated into thin air and all Trini could do was sit there. Trapped. Trapped between being someone people once knew, and someone they thought they knew. Forever burdened with the fact that she was involuntarily made to live a life that wasn’t really hers. A life that - 

“We need to talk.” 

God, this girl was frustrating. Of course Kimberly would wait until the very last second to show up. Any concern Trini had felt for the girl was immediately replaced with annoyance upon hearing her voice. Except, it wasn’t really her voice. It was Trini’s. At least, it was supposed to be. It sounded familiar yet like a stranger all at once. Like a dissonant echo between what you think your voice sounds like and what it sounds like on a recording. 

It wasn’t until she looked up that she was even more fazed. This is what the twins must feel, she thought. Looking at your identical, features all the same, but knowing that the person inside isn’t you. The thoughts, the feelings and the memories. They’re not yours to know.

“Definitely,” she said, her tone steady and affirmative, not betraying what she felt inside. Though her eyes did. She had to look away, not accustomed to the unfamiliar sensation of seeing herself move when it wasn’t through a mirror; this was a reflection not abiding to her control. Her gaze focused to the front as everyone was settling down for class to begin and this discussion would have to wait until the end anyway. 

It was only when Kimberly sat down that Trini did a double-take at her. At her clothes. 

“What the hell are you wearing?!” 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trini has a not so great time, Kim has a one-on-one with Michael & the girls meet up to figure out a plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this was originally going to be one chapter but I realized I was already at 5k words and nowhere near done lmao so I decided to split it up into two parts
> 
> Also, huge thank you to everyone commenting and enjoying the story so far! <3

“Okay, what the hell have you done?!” 

“Me? How is this possibly my fault!” 

They were stood by the lockers, having waited until the hallway had emptied until they approached one another. Both girls had been patiently waiting for Biology class to have finished so they could finally talk. Though Kim had definitely not expected to be accused of having this whole thing be her fault. As if she just snapped her fingers and they swapped bodies. 

“Well, I don’t know Kim! This whole thing is freaking me out,” Trini retorted. 

“And you don’t think I’m freaking out? I didn’t exactly expect to wake up this morning with your mom shouting in my face!” 

She watched the color drain from Trini’s face. _Her_ face.

“Oh my god. What did she say to you? What did _you_ say? Did my dad see you? Were you rude?” 

“Okay, why do you assume I was rude? And, chill, I got out of there before anyone could ask too many questions.” 

It seemed to be a good enough answer for Trini, relaxing her shoulders slightly and exhaling. 

Kim would be lying if she said this didn't make her somewhat queasy, seeing someone else in control of her body. Almost as though she was arguing with herself. Inhabiting the body of someone much shorter didn’t exactly play in her advantage either. Kim herself wasn’t exceptionally tall but it did still play a part in how she intimidated people when she needed to. 

Trini stood up straight again, clearly more in favor of the change in height, and crossed her arms as she spoke up. “Speaking of, where have you even been all day? You do realize that it’s my classes you’ve been missing, right?” 

“Shit, I know, I’m sorry. Look, I had to - ” 

“Kim! Jesus, we’ve been looking all over for you!” 

Her shoulders immediately tensed at the familiar voice.

 _Amanda._ Definitely the last person Kim wanted to deal with right now. She whipped her head around, seeing the girl walking towards them from the other end of the hallway, Harper by her side. 

“Fuck, I completely forgot I have cheer practice today.” 

Trini quickly caught on to what that meant, the panic evident on her face. “Kimberly, I am _not_ going to your cheer practice,” she hissed out.

Kim took another look behind her, seeing the pair get closer. “Trini, I’m the captain of the squad, you _have_ to be there.” 

She saw the irritation building up inside the other girl.

“ _Kimberly,”_ she snarled, quieter than before now that the two girls were getting closer, but Kim could still hear the anger in her voice. 

_“Trinity.”_

Okay, whipping out the full name was a low blow on Kim’s part and it definitely didn’t help in taming the girl but thankfully she didn’t have a chance to react, Amanda and Harper now standing in front of them. 

“Kim, practice starts in 10 minutes, what the hell?” Amanda scolded. 

She was about to speak up, before remembering that the cheerleader wasn’t actually talking to her. She turned to find Trini looking at her, eyes desperately begging for her help. 

“Yeah, Coach sent us to find you and she is _not_ happy,” Harper added.

She tried to take the heat off Trini. “Uh, my bad. Was asking ‘bout Biology,” Kim mumbled out, attempting to sound like Trini, which apparently meant mustering out as little words as possible. Not that it made a difference, the two girls completely ignoring her and focusing their attention back to who they thought was Kim. 

“Seriously? You’re ditching practice to, what? Talk to...Deedee, is it?” 

“It’s _Trini_ ,” Kim scowled out. She always hated the way Amanda would belittle anyone she deemed unimportant. 

Trini finally spoke up, having had time to recompose herself. She had believed the cheerleaders to be close, but the tension between them hadn’t gone unnoticed. “Give me 5 minutes. I’ll be there.” 

“But -” 

“ _I said,_ give me 5 minutes,” Trini snarled, finding more confidence as she remembered that, right now, she _was_ the head cheerleader. 

Amanda eyed them suspiciously, darting between the two. Finally, she relented and huffed out a low “whatever,” seemingly embarrassed that she was made to follow the girl’s orders. She started making her way back, Harper following close at her heel. 

Kim finally relaxed, exhaling as she ran her fingers through her hair. She’d yet to get used to having long hair again. 

“Okay, good. So, today is most likely going to be simple cheer practice or even just cardio, if you’re lucky.” 

“What? No, Kim, I’m not going. No way.” 

“What? But you just said -” 

“I only said that to get rid of them,” Trini cut her off with. 

“Trini, you _have_ to go. I’m the head cheerleader.” 

“Not my problem,” Trini huffed out, shrugging her shoulders as she made a move to turn around and walk away. Kim grabbed her hand, turning her around with more force than she had meant to. In her defense, Trini was being incredibly irritating right now. 

“Uh, yeah, it literally is your problem? The whole switched bodies thing, remember?” 

She saw Trini take a deep breath, most likely to stop herself from punching Kim, she thought. “Kim. For the last time. I am _not_ going to your dumb cheer practice.” Her words were cool and collected, but the underlying rage was still there. 

Still, Kim was not one to back down. “Yes. You are.” 

“No, I’m _not._ ” 

“Yes.” 

“ _No_.” 

* * *

Trini wasn’t sure of a lot of things in life. Having spent most of her childhood moving around from place to place constantly, she quickly learned not to plan too far into the future or set her hopes too high, sparing herself the inevitable disappointment. 

Right now, though? Trini was sure. She was sure of three things, to be exact. 

  1. She hated this body switching thing. 
  2. She hated cheerleading



And most importantly, 

3\. She was going to _kill_ Kimberly Hart. 

The beginning of practice had been spent warming up; stretching and running laps around the gym.

It seemed that Trini had adopted Kim’s endurance which is the only thing she was grateful for in that moment. The rest of the squad was clearly used to the exercises and Trini was sure she would never have gotten through it without turning into a heaving, sweaty mess by the end of it had she been in her own body. 

Not to say that she _wasn’t_ still a heaving, sweaty mess by the time they were finished. 

Though it gave her time to think. Well, more like daydream; fantasizing about all the different ways she was going to get back at Kim. How she was going to make her pay. How she was going to get away with murder. 

Except, right now, her thoughts were more focused on how to get away with _manslaughter_ rather than murder. Because now came the time for the stunts. Which apparently meant Trini was responsible for lifting another human being into the air. By their feet. Using only her arms. 

Great. Perfect. No reason to be worried. 

Sure, she would have another cheerleader holding up the other leg and a spotter behind them but these were experienced cheerleaders. Who were probably thinking they were best off compared to the other groups practicing, considering they had Kimberly Hart with them, after all. But Trini couldn’t exactly explain that even though she was in possession of the head cheerleader’s strength and her generally better physique, it apparently didn’t include her muscle memory. 

Because while she could hear the distant countdown of “5, 6, 7, 8,” which should have been the first indication that Trini was meant to do something, she had no clue as to actually _what_ she was supposed to do. And it was clear she was the only one, the other stunt groups having already lifted their flyer up, whereas hers consisted of three confused sophomores and a very disconcerted Trini. 

She immediately heard the harsh sound of hands clapping to the side. “Hart! Care to wake up?” 

Trini had heard all about the terror that was Coach Repulsa from her very first week at Angel Grove. The way she had made several kids cry, even traumatizing one girl enough to have to move schools, until eventually being replaced as the gym teacher and made to channel her wrath and energy into piloting the cheerleading squad to Nationals instead. Trini had been glad the change had been made well before she arrived, saving her from experiencing the horror stories herself. 

Until now it seemed. Yet another reason she wanted to kill Kimberly Hart. 

She managed to mumble out a weak “Sorry, Coach.” 

“I don’t need you to be sorry, I need you to focus!” she bellowed out. 

If this was her reaction to Trini’s first mistake of the day, she didn’t have high hopes of impressing the woman any time soon. Unless Trini somehow managed to gain four years of cheerleading experience within the next half hour. 

They tried again. But Trini forgot to actually squat down, meaning the flyer couldn’t get her foot up. 

“ _Again_!” 

This time, her hands lost their grip before the sophomore could even get up. 

“You,” the coach pointed to the other base, opposite Trini, “Switch with Hart.” 

Trini wasn’t sure what that actually meant since the girl simply nodded but stayed put. 

“From the top, ladies!” The girls quickly scrambled back into their initial positions. “If your captain here decides to pull her head out of her ass.” 

Trini took a deep breath, ignoring the frustrated sighs from the rest of the squad and this time focusing more on trying to mimic the position of the other base in formation. She faced the younger girl, standing in a shoulder to hip width stance, back straight, and with her arms against her sides. 

“5, 6, 7, 8.” 

On the right count, she saw the girl opposite her go into a half squat, cupping her hands, ready to receive the flyers foot for the step-up. Which meant Trini was the assisting base now, something she was grateful for since it gave her a chance to study the moves. 

Except, Trini didn’t realize that meant she was the one responsible for lifting the girl above her. They hadn’t gotten this far when Trini had gone first. And she definitely didn’t realize that the lift-off was supposed to be done with her arms. _Not_ by jumping. 

And she definitely realized that too late. Too late before the flyer was high in the air, having lost contact from both of the bases on the ground. And before she knew it, before Trini could do anything, the other girl was on the floor, faceplanting the mattress. 

“Oh my god,” she quickly bent down to help the sophomore, “I am _so_ sorry.” 

She heard a few snickers from the side, looking up to see Amanda and Harper whispering to themselves. Between the sneers, Trini could only just make out a few snide remarks along the lines of ‘ _so embarrassing’_ from Amanda and ‘ _still can’t believe coach made her captain and not you’_ from the other. 

She didn’t care though, her attention on the girl in front of her. Despite her insistence that she was fine and that she was used to it, being a cheerleader, after all, Trini was still filled with remorse.

Although it was quickly replaced with fear, seeing the rage on Repulsa’s face as her long, angry-ridden strides brought her right in front of a crouching Trini. 

The older woman scanned the room, “All of you, twenty laps. _Now._ ” 

There came a wave of audible groans from the girls but they knew better than anyone to complain, fully aware that the woman wouldn’t hesitate to add another ten laps to the mix. As the girls started jogging their way around the sidelines, her attention was brought back to Trini, still crouched on the ground before quickly jumping to her feet. 

If you had asked her an hour ago, Trini would have considered herself tough enough to have taken a berating from the infamous Rita Repulsa over running laps any day. Right now, though, the latter suddenly sounded much more enticing. 

“ _Hart._ I put my trust in you. I make you team captain. Now, suddenly, you can’t even do a basic extension?” Her tone taunting as she stared Trini down. “Care to explain yourself?” 

“Well, I -” 

“Actually, you know what? I don’t care. I don't have time for excuses.” 

“But -” 

“No, I don’t want to hear it. Grab your things and go and maybe next time I see you, you’ll decide to act like yourself again.” 

_You’re not the only one,_ Trini thought. 

With one last glowering look, the woman left. Leaving Trini to quickly grab her things and rush out the door. 

Maybe not the most graceful way to have gotten out of it but Trini didn’t care. It was over and that’s all she cared about.

Kim should have considered herself lucky. After an even longer back and forth of _“no, I’m not”_ and “ _yes, you are,”_ between them at the lockers, Trini still unsure of how Kim had won the argument, she had made the girl go home. She didn’t want to risk having Kim say something stupid and get herself grounded by June for coming home late. 

The point is, Kim should have considered herself lucky because if she was here right now, Trini couldn’t promise that she wouldn’t seriously hurt her. 

* * *

Her hands patted against the bedsheets, blindly trying to find her phone to turn off the alarm. She had snoozed it enough times now and Kim knew she had to get up eventually. Though it didn’t stop her from letting out a long groan as she rolled out of Trini’s bed. 

They had planned to meet in the morning and as much as she wanted to talk to Trini before school and figure this out, she was seriously doubting if it was worth getting up this early for. Still, she’d take the piercing sound of her alarm over June Gomez any day. 

She made her way to the bathroom, hoping not to wake up the family as she silently made her way across the hall. She’d managed to survive the evening with Trini’s family, only having to get through an awkward dinner before retreating upstairs for the rest of the night. Thankfully the twins had done most of the talking, saving Kim from having to pretend like she knew anything about the family, who were unaware that they were practically eating with a stranger across from them. 

She washed her face and brushed her teeth, even attempting to braid the side of her hair the way she’d seen Trini wear it the few times she didn’t have her beanie on. After a few tries, she gave up, frustrated, and made a mental note to ask Trini to teach her at some point. Making her way back to the room and opening up Trini’s closet, she figured she may as well dress more like the girl this time if they were going to pull off living as each other. It wasn’t difficult, considering the wardrobe seemed to consist of the same combination of outfits, just in various different colors. Well, saying colors was optimistic since it was mainly jeans, and shirts ranging from black, grey, and the occasional yellow. 

After grabbing her bag, she made her way down the stairs, wincing at the creaks that seemed so much louder now that the rest of the house was quiet. Deeming that she had enough time, Kim decided to grab breakfast now that the kitchen was empty. 

“Good morning, mija.” 

She almost yelped, not expecting to see Michael at the dining table. A coffee in one hand and a newspaper in the other. 

“Hi...Dad,” she let out awkwardly, feeling odd at having to call a stranger dad. 

He took a sip of his coffee, chuckling quietly after. “Dad? You going all American on me now, T?” 

She remembered the texts from Trini last night, helping Kim out with some details on how to interact with her family but Kim wasn’t about to attempt Spanish any time soon. She let out a quiet laugh, hoping he’d brush it off as she made a move for the fridge. 

“You’re up early,” he commented, eyes fixed on the paper. 

“Uh, yeah. I have to meet a classmate for a...biology project.” 

It wasn’t a complete lie. 

“Well, your mother will be glad to hear that,” he joked again.

Kim figured the threat from yesterday about dragging her out of bed wasn't the first time the woman had had to use them. After grabbing juice and some toast, she sat herself down across from the man, focusing her gaze away from him, her shoulders slumped. 

He seemed to notice her uneasiness, pulling his eyes away from the article he was reading to study her. “Is everything okay, Trini? You seem tense.” 

“Just tired,” she mumbled out in between bites, hoping he wouldn’t probe further. Judging by the way he sighed and put down the newspaper, his attention fully on her now, she knew it was wishful thinking. 

A beat passed before he spoke up again. “I know we haven’t had a chance to talk but I wanted to apologize. Not just for what happened on your birthday, but...for everything.” 

She sat in silence, clueless as to what he was talking about. 

“I know your mother has had a...tougher time coming to terms with this and as much as I hate to admit it,” he took a deep breath, taking a second to gather his thoughts, “I know, realistically, I haven’t been any better. I know I should have done more. To speak up for you. Remind her that the most important thing is that our girl is happy and healthy, right?” 

Kim could only offer him a small nod, unsure of how to take his words. 

“But she’s also my wife, you know. It’s not easy for me to challenge her. And you know better than anyone, she can be pretty scary when she wants to,” he followed it with a weak chuckle, attempting to lighten the mood. _That_ Kim understood, if the interaction yesterday morning was anything to go by. He quickly straightened up again, however. “Not that that’s an excuse. I mean,” he huffed out, seemingly frustrated with the way he was expressing himself, “I guess what I’m trying to say, mija, is that I’m going to do better. I promise.” 

He stood up, leaving his dishes in the sink before turning back to Kim, placing a hand on her shoulder as he leaned down to kiss the top of her head. “Wait here,” he said, leaving the kitchen and going up the stairs. 

It was supposed to feel uncomfortable, Kim thought. Having a strange man leave a kiss on her head. Yet, something about it felt right. As though she could feel the love he exuded for his family in the kiss alone. Something she hadn’t felt from her own father in years. Or even her mother, for that matter. Sure, they were surprisingly affectionate for being such detached parents. But their touches always felt empty. Void of any real emotion and more like desolate replacements for otherwise being so distant. 

Hell, she couldn’t even remember the last time she had spent more than two minutes in the kitchen with one of them before they had to rush out the door. Let alone sitting down and talking. Even if she didn’t know what Michael was referring to, something about having him so present while talking to her had ignited something familiar in Kim. Acting as a reminder that, once upon a time, she had this with her parents too. She has always remembered those mornings with her father, back before his time was consumed by work, but never the feeling. Not until now. 

She was brought out of her thoughts, the sound of his footsteps reaching her ears before he was standing behind her a few seconds later. “Here,” he said and motioned at her to move her hair to the side and she caught on, seeing the necklace in his hands. He fumbled with the clasp for a while before moving to stand in front of her again with a proud smile adorning his face. 

Her fingers clasped around the bead, bringing it up to get a better look and matching his smile once she noticed. 

“Come on, I have some time before work. I’ll drive you to school.” 

* * *

She made her way inside the school building, walking with long strides towards the room she and Kim had planned to meet up in that morning.

Despite her frustration of yesterday, Trini considered herself lucky to be in Kim’s body right now. After the god awful thing that was cheer practice, Trini was sure all her limbs would have been sore this morning, had she done those exercises in her own body. 

They had switched phones, and numbers, yesterday so they each had their respective ones before parting ways. They had decided to meet before classes started the next morning, hoping to at least figure out a plan on how they’d go about surviving being in each other's bodies for the time being and, if they were lucky, figure out how to actually swap back. 

She had been glad to have her phone back, even if it had mainly been blowing up with texts from Kim all of last night.

**Kimberly H**

**(6:29pm):** what are your brothers' names??

 **(7:13pm):** wait shit what are ur parents names?? do i call them mom and dad? 

**(7:49pm):** what does tonta mean and why did ur mom keep calling me that when i asked where the dishwasher is

 **(7:50pm):** oh bc you guys don’t have one 

**(7:51pm):** and i just looked up what tonta means...wow. rude

She’d be lying if she said she didn’t find it slightly amusing. Apart from her replies trying to help Kim out, there hadn’t been too many outgoing texts from Trini. Besides the many, many messages cursing Kim after cheer practice, of course.

The house had been empty all night so thankfully she didn’t have to worry about interacting with Kim’s parents just yet. 

She’d been texting Billy too, telling him all about her talk with Kim, cheer practice, and their plan for the next day.

It had distracted her from the unfamiliar quiet of the Hart house. As much as she liked to complain, Trini had grown accustomed to the sound of her family around the house. Whether it was the twins screaming and shouting as they played out in the yard, her father cheering at a football game on TV, or even June’s Spanish music playing through the speakers, it was sounds Trini didn’t realize she’d miss until she was surrounded by complete silence. 

She’d come to appreciate it much more in the morning though. Not awakened by her mother’s incessant yelling or the twins running into her room with way too much energy for it being 7am. Even considering the fact that she had to get up even earlier this morning to meet with Kim, it felt refreshing in the sense that she could take her time getting ready at her own pace and not be bombarded by her mother’s comments and questions at the breakfast table. 

Admittedly, she had been slightly disappointed to wake up in Kimberly’s body still but it’s also why she was so adamant on finding Kim right now and trying to figure this out. 

She rounded the corner of the long hallway, trying to find the staircase that led downstairs, when suddenly she felt her entire body collide with another. Blinking rapidly, she tried to adjust her eyes after the initial shock when two hands were placed on her shoulders. 

“Woah, you okay there?” said the somewhat familiar voice, laced with concern and a hint of amusement. 

She eased up slightly, seeing who it was. “Oh, Jason. Hey.” Though it didn’t stop her from being embarrassed still and mumbling out an awkward, “Sorry ‘bout that.” 

He grew more concerned, seeing her so disheveled. “Kim, you sure you’re good?” 

“Yeah, no, you just surprised me is all.” 

He studied her for a beat, nodding once he seemed convinced. “Listen, I’m actually really glad I ran into you. I was hoping we could talk about yesterday?” 

She felt bad, having promised him that he could talk to her whenever he wanted, but right now she also just needed to go see Kimberly before the school started filling up with students. “I’m sorry, but I really have to go right now,” she stepped aside, moving past him, “I promise we’ll catch up later, okay?” 

“Wait, what’s - “ 

“I just really can’t right now, I’m sorry!” 

Her sudden escape had clearly left him puzzled, but Trini didn’t care - she was already making her way down the stairs to the basement of the school. 

* * *

“So, are we not going to talk about the elephant in the room?” 

“What?” 

Kim and Zack were in the room downstairs, waiting for Trini. It was the only classroom in the basement of the school building, although Kim was sure it had been years since it was used for anything other than Saturday detentions if it’s cold, eerie feel was anything to go by. 

She had brought Zack along since he knew about the situation anyway and three heads were better than two. Though she was seriously regretting it now, judging by the fact that he was going to say something stupid sooner or later. 

“ _You know,_ ” he continued. She didn’t know. 

“What? That you’re annoying as hell?” she bit back, not looking up from her phone. Their back and forth banter always resembled that of siblings and Kim knew he never took her comments to heart. 

“Hah, good one, Kim K. But nah, that’s never been up for debate.” 

“Mm, I’m glad _it’s_ self aware, at least.” 

He stared at her, deadpanned. “ _Funny_. But no,” he situated himself up on one of the tables before a smug grin took over his face, “I’m talking about the fact that Trini Gomez is _hot._ ” 

Kim rolled her eyes so hard she was sure they were going to get stuck there. “Seriously? Do you have to be so crass all the time?” 

“What?” he brought his hands up defensively, “I’m just stating a fact!” 

“Mmhm.” 

“Come on! You’ve been stuck in her body for what, a whole day now? _And_ been lab partners for almost a year. And you’re seriously telling me you haven’t noticed?” 

“No, because not all of us are creeps.” 

“Yeah, yeah,” he said with a dismissive roll of his eyes. “So you’re denying the fact that she’s totally your type?” 

She locked her phone, sliding it into her back pocket before crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes at him. “And what exactly is my type, Zack?” 

He brought a finger to his chin, pretending to be deep in thought. “Hmm, let’s see. Right now? Probably...short...broody...Latina...very obviously _gay,_ ” he stated matter of factly. 

“How do you even know she’s gay?”

“Aha! So you’re not denying it!” 

She huffed out in annoyance, cursing herself for falling for his trap.

If she was being honest, she had the feeling that Trini was into girls from those very first few weeks of Biology class earlier in the year. Trying to work on her prejudices, Kim didn’t want to stereotype based on the girl’s outfit choices alone but after almost a year of her curiosity getting the best of her, she had a feeling she wasn’t too far off.

The rainbow necklace this morning only solidified that. Still, she wasn’t going to pry. 

Thankfully, the door burst open, stopping Kim from having to deal with any more of Zack’s annoying comments, no matter how much truth there secretly was behind them. A breathy “Hey,” came from Trini as she made her way downstairs, Kim’s short hair flailing with each step. 

Billy Cranston was right behind her, bouncing down the stairs until they were both finally stood in front of the two. 

“What’s he doing here?” Kim asked. It seemed that she wasn’t the only one who had the idea of bringing along some moral support. 

She watched Trini raise an eyebrow. “I could ask you the same thing,” she challenged, referring to Zack. 

“Right,” she took a step closer, now standing between Zack and the newly arrived pair. “Okay, so, Billy this is Zack. Zack, this is Billy.” 

“Oh man,” she watched Zack lift himself off the table, “Of course I know Billy Cranston! He’s a legend!” 

A huge smile was plastered across his face, a drastic difference to the perplexed looks on the other three; Billy himself included. He was fully aware that he wasn’t exactly one of the more well-known names around school, not that he minded, but he was puzzled as to why someone like Zack Taylor would know him. Let alone think so highly of him. 

Zack on the other hand seemed to be more confused at their confusion. “The guy who blew up his own lunchbox, dude!” 

The girl’s simply mustered out a few sounds of realization while Zack stepped closer to the other boy, holding out his fist, “Mad respect.”

Billy returned it, matching Zack’s grin and happy that he had gone with a fist bump instead of anything involving more physical contact. 

As much as she was happy to see Billy being admired, no matter the reason, Trini knew they didn’t have much time before the first bell, when they’d have to go to their separate classes for the rest of the day. “Can we put a pause on this bromance and focus on the problem at hand?” 

Billy took the lead. “Right, yes. Okay, so here’s what we know. Roughly 24 hours ago, Trini woke up in Kim’s body and Kim woke up in Trini’s.” 

“Ooh la la.” 

“Zack, shut up forever.” 

Billy continued, not understanding. “Anyway, right now, it seems like, technically, you’ve only had a swapping of _minds_. There doesn’t seem to be any actual trauma inflicted on your bodies.” 

“Uh, I beg to differ,” Trini chimed in, all eyes on her now. “Cheer practice?” 

Kim rolled her eyes, “God, will you let that _go_?”

“Kim. It was awful," Trini huffed. "You just don’t understand since I haven’t forced you to go through anything crazy just because we’ve swapped bodies.” 

“ _Minds_ ,” Billy quietly added, though it went ignored. The girl’s solely focused on each other now, the agitation building up. 

“Uh, yeah, you have. Have you ever met your mom?” Kim snapped back with it. 

Mixed with her earlier frustration at the cheerleader and her irritation now, Trini’s chest heaved up, almost getting ready to charge at the girl. She took a few long strides forward, coming face to face with Kim and ready to retort before a voice being heard from the other side of the room stopped her.

Four heads immediately whipped around to locate the source. 

Only to find Jason Scott at the bottom of the stairs. 

“What’s going on here?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaand the gang is all together!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang lets Jason know what's going on & Trini runs into Ty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't abandoned this, I swear lmao. Just been trying to figure out where exactly I want it to go. 
> 
> Slight warning for language towards the end of the chapter

“What’s going on here?” 

\---

There was a long pause. Four of them frantically darting their eyes between each other. Silently debating. None of them could be sure of how much Jason had heard.

“Depends on how long you’ve been standing there…” Zack carefully drew out. 

“Long enough to have some questions...” 

He was eyeing them skeptically, though the root of his suspicion was still unclear. Whether it was just from having walked in on the unexpected group of teens, having heard too much, or a combination of both. 

Figuring she was most likely the closest to the quarterback, Kim spoke up.

“Jase, what are you doing here?” 

Except...she forgot what she looked like. And to him, it looked like a stranger questioning him. With a nickname, nonetheless. His brows furrowed in confusion for a moment before sheepishly mustering out “Uh, I just came to look for Kim...Deedee, right?” 

Immediately, a loud huff was let out beside her, where Trini was standing. “Oh, my god. For the last time, my name is _Trini_ ,” she threw her hands up in exasperation, as her head tilted back.

Her irritation wasn’t directed specifically at Jason, of course, but mixed with the fact that she had been ready to go off at Kim just seconds ago and the fact that this was one of many, many times someone had got her name wrong during her time at Angel Grove...Trini was annoyed. To say the least. 

Once she recomposed herself, she was met with four wildly different stares and she realized what she had said. It seemed like Kim hadn’t been the only one to forget she was in possession of someone else’s appearance. 

Jason was looking at her, even more confused than before.

Kim was giving her a scolding stare, hissing out a low “What is wrong with you?” 

And Billy, ever the sweetheart, was shooting her a sympathetic look while Zack couldn’t look more amused at her outburst. “Way to go, Crazy Girl.” 

“Okay, seriously, what is going on here?”

His tone was more assertive this time, looking between the four of them in hopes of someone finally providing him an answer. A cloud of hesitation fell over them, wondering if they could trust him or not. 

“Should we tell him?” 

“Tell me what?” 

“How do we know we can trust him?” 

“We don’t.” 

“ _Guys,”_ he grew more frustrated. 

But Trini finally spoke up. While Zack and Kim had been going back and forth, Trini had been silently debating to herself before making a decision. “Guys. It’s fine,” she saw the apprehensive looks from the pair, even Billy, but she didn’t care. She was sure. 

“Let’s tell him.” 

And so they did. It took some more convincing from Trini, of course. But they did.

They told him all about how they had woken up the morning before in each other's bodies (with Billy once again rightfully correcting them that it was technically only their minds). And how they’ve had to pretend to be each other since then, with Trini going off about cheerleading again while Kim rolled her eyes. 

Zack only chimed once and it was to complain about having had Kim wake him up so early that first day, before getting a punch to the arm and a “It was 11am, get over it.”

Yet, that only led to Kim’s rant about how _she_ had been woken up so unceremoniously by June Gomez which then led to Trini going off on a tangent about who knows what, her general frustration at Kim and the whole situation creeping its way back. 

All the while, Jason had redirected his attention to Billy instead, who was trying to explain it more graciously over the sounds of the girls bickering; albeit with a few confusing terms that Jason didn’t quite understand. Even so, he seemed to slowly come around after the initial hesitation. 

When the girls finally settled down, they could see the gears turning in his head as he tried to make sense of it. 

“Wait, so...yesterday? I was talking to Trini? Not Kim?” 

Trini felt her cheeks flush in guilt, ignoring the confused look Kim shot her and instead focusing on the worry in Jason’s face. 

She took a deep breath, finding the courage to look him in the eyes as she answered him. “Yeah. Yeah, it was me,” she took a small step towards him. “Normally I look like that,” she continued, gesturing to Kim, “but yeah. It was me.” 

“Oh.” 

She moved forward, closing the remaining gap between them so she was standing face to face with the boy. “Listen...I might have looked like Kim but the words were all mine. I promise. I meant what I said, Jason.” 

It came out soft, quiet enough for the rest of them not to hear. He shifted slightly to look past her, at the others, before turning his attention back. “Did you…” 

“No, of course not,” she shook her head, “I told you, you decide when and who.” 

He looked at her, searching her eyes for any insincerity before finally taking a breath and nodding as he accepted her words. Returning it with a warm smile she turned around, having already sensed the expectant stares of the others. 

She knew Kim and Billy would both be surprised about the sudden amity between them but Trini didn’t care, it wasn’t her place to say. She made her way to a table near the others, leaning back and crossing her arms before speaking up. “Okay, so, anyone got any ideas on how to reverse this whole thing? Billy?” 

They took the hint to not probe any further, all eyes on Billy now while Jason joined her by the table, mouthing a small ‘Thank you’ for having changed the subject. 

Before Billy could speak up though, Zack decided to throw in his suggestion. “Oh! I know! Why don’t we just take a page straight out of the book? Or, movie, in this case,” he exclaimed. Seeing the confused looks on the others, he elaborated, “You know, that bit in Freaky Friday where the mom and Lindsay Lohan run into each other to try and swap back.” 

Kim groaned, bringing a hand up to rub at her temple, “I think Trini meant _smart_ ideas, Zack.” 

“Yeah, and did you even watch the movie, homeboy? If that had actually worked, the movie would have been over 20 minutes in,” Trini said. 

He raised his hands in mock defense as a small smirk took over his face, “Well, I’m sorry we’re not all experts on chick flicks, Crazy Girl.” 

A quiet snicker was let out by Kim, instantly earning her a hard scowl from Trini. The cheerleader straightened up and Trini seemed satisfied until she noticed a smirk making its way back to Kim’s face. She seethed out an annoyed “ _What?”_ at her. 

“Nothing, nothing. It’s just uh,” Kim let out a small laugh, “you’re not nearly as intimidating as you think with my face.” 

A wave of low chuckles came, most notably from Kim and Zack but even _Billy_ and _Jason_ too. She glared at him next, turning her head to face the boy beside her. It’s not like Trini wanted credit for simply being a decent human being, but she _had_ just helped Jason out in front of everyone so some reciprocation would be nice. 

He quickly cleared his throat, trying to suppress his laughter and ignoring Trini’s death stare. He looked at Billy instead, as he awkwardly scratched his head. “Anyway, I think, uh, Billy was going to suggest something?” 

“Right. Yes.” He took a step forward, clapping his hands together, “I’m gonna see what I can come up with but I’ll need more information from both of you to know what exactly we’re dealing with first.”

The girls nodded, feeling hopeful at his words. Surely he’d be able to whip something up using all those parts and gadgets that filled his garage, Trini thought. 

“But, ideally,” he continued, “the best way would be to know what actually caused this. To see if reverse engineering is an option.” He looked at the girls, “Either of you have any idea how this could have happened?”

Kim sighed, running her fingers through her hair. “I don’t know. Probably someone who hates me and wants to watch me suffer?” 

Trini scoffed, mumbling under her breath, “I can think of a few people.” 

“What was that?” Kim challenged, narrowing her eyes at the girl. 

“Nothin'” 

Jason spoke up, refocusing the girls to ease the tension. “Okay, well, it's almost first period. How about we regroup at lunch? And Billy, maybe you can get the answers you need from the girls then?” he suggested, finishing it with a friendly smile at the boy. 

Billy returned it, nodding enthusiastically. 

“And until then,” he continued, “Kim, Trini, try not to kill each other? And maybe just avoid people in general?” 

They rolled their eyes but nodded reluctantly.

“Okay, _dad_ , and what should I do?” 

“Zack, you uh, you just try and show up to your classes, alright?” 

He hopped off the table, muttering “Damn, I knew I shouldn’t have asked,” under his breath as he grabbed his bag. He made his way past the maze of desks and chairs and up the stairs with Jason and Billy following suit. 

Trini was right behind them, foot up on the first step before Kim called out to her just as the boys left. “Hey, Trini, wait up.” 

She grudgingly turned around, crossing her arms. “What do you want, Kimberly?” 

The girl made her way to the bottom of the stairs so she was standing directly in front of her. Kim let out a frustrated sigh as she rubbed at her forehead. “Look, I don’t know what I’ve done to make you hate me so much but can you at least _try_ to pretend like you don’t? For the time being? ‘Cause clearly we’re not going to figure this out unless we work together.” 

A short beat passed as they stared at each other. Kim hoped that she looked as sincere as she felt but she really couldn’t be sure. There was a split second where it almost seemed that Trini would cooperate; her shoulders dropped ever so slightly and the furrow between her eyebrows seemed to iron out if you looked closely. 

But, of course, it was wishful thinking because before Kim knew it, the girl was mumbling out “Whatever,” and making her way back up the stairs. 

She got halfway up before Kim grabbed her by the elbow, forcing her to a stop. “Jus- Just wait. I wanted to give you this, at least.” 

She moved her hair to the side, bringing her hands to the back of her neck to unclasp the piece of jewelry that had otherwise been hidden by her shirt until now. 

It was immediately snatched out of her hand though when Trini realized what it was. 

“Where did you get this?” she asked. 

Trini hadn’t seen it since her birthday and she’d assumed her mother had hidden it away to keep her from wearing it. 

“Your dad brought it down this morning. I just thought you should have it for the time being,” said Kim. She rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly before continuing, “You know, just in case you’re missing your family and stuff. I know my house can get pretty lonely.” 

Trini fiddled with the chain, avoiding Kim’s gaze as she mustered out a quiet “Thanks.” 

She’d been surprised at her thoughtfulness, feeling sheepish now. 

Maybe a small part of her wanted to be wrong about girls like Kim. Or, maybe Kim specifically. Maybe she hoped that there was a larger plan at play; a reason that the universe chose them two. That this was all a bizarre road heading somewhere great, paving the way, leading her to whatever it was she’s spent so long looking for. 

The other part of her though, that cruel, cynic voice in the back of her head, told her she’s wrong. That fate doesn’t hand out favors like that. Not for someone like Trini, at least. That once this was all over, everything would go back to the way it was and Kimberly Hart would just be that cheerleader, that girl in her Biology class. 

Still. A small part of her really wanted to be wrong. 

* * *

They had managed to make it through the first half of the day with relative ease.

A pop quiz in Trini’s AP Psychology class had left Kim stumped, though. Thankful that it was multiple choice, she’d made it through using guesses and some common sense, hoping she wasn’t too far off. Having already upset Trini by missing classes that first day, she didn’t exactly want to give the girl yet another reason to be mad at her. 

Trini, meanwhile, was still not used to how many people wanted to talk to Kimberly Hart. Or just get her attention. Even just walking between lessons meant having all eyes on her as girls waved and guys nodded their heads in greeting. 

Being more familiar with the classrooms than yesterday, she had used that advantage to get to class early and get a seat in the very back. Avoiding people as much as she could. The way she liked it. 

It was clear she had taken over the usual spots of a lot of people though. They’d make their way down, ready to sit in the same seat they had every day for the past few months, only to see that it was taken. She’d watch them get ready to complain, realize who it was and then immediately turn to find another desk to sit at. 

She wanted to feel bad, really, but her unabating need to get away from people definitely overpowered any guilt. 

Karma came back to bite her in the ass during Kim’s English class, however. She’d been asked a question about the book they’d been reading, the one Trini had never even touched until then. And sitting all the way in the back meant that _everyone_ whipped their heads around to look at her. Staring as she sat wide-eyed, stuttering out an attempt of an answer until eventually, the teacher moved on to someone else.

Her cheeks had stayed flushed the rest of the class, only calming once the bell rang and she was able to sprint out of there. 

Math with Billy had gone a lot better, feeling more comfortable with a familiar face before heading to lunch together. 

Which is where she was sat now; halfway through her lunch, with Kim and Jason on either side of her as they sat across from Zack and Billy. 

The majority of their lunch break so far had been spent with Billy asking a flood of different questions, trying to understand exactly what changes they had gone through during the swap. Kim and Trini would answer and he’d quickly drop his head down, taking detailed notes in his book in between bites of his food.

He was currently in the midst of carefully writing down the last of his notes, with his brows furrowed and tongue sticking slightly out the side as he concentrated, oblivious to anything else around him.

“Okay, so,” Zack said, shoving a fry into his mouth, “I’ve been thinking.” 

“That’s a first.” 

He stopped chewing, ignoring the small smirk on Trini’s face and staring at Kim who was lazily pushing her food around with her fork. “Very funny, Kimberly.” He swallowed the last of his food, gulping it down with a sip of his drink, “But, as I was saying...I’ve been thinking and I’m very curious about something.” 

“And what’s that?” Trini asked. 

“Ugh, Trini,” Kim groaned, looking at the girl next to her, “First rule of Zack Taylor, never ask him to elaborate anything, ever. Trust me.” 

He put his hand on his chest, feigning offense. “Kiki, that’s no way to talk to our new friend.” He looked across at Trini, shaking his head as if to say _can you believe her_ , before turning his attention back. “Anyway, what I wanted to ask was,” he picked up some more fries, using it to point between them, “How’s the shower situation looking?” 

“What do you mean?” 

Kim sighed, feigning annoyance. “Trini, what did I _just_ say the first rule was?” 

Despite her best attempt at hiding it, Trini actually found herself smiling at Kim.

She’d been surprised to find how lax the cheerleader was around the boy, amused by their playful dynamic. Not that she had really paid attention, but she’d never seen them together before and didn’t realize how close they actually were until now. It was a welcomed change from the Kim she’d usually see roaming the school hallways whenever Amanda and Harper were by her side. 

“Trini, ignore her,” Zack said, “What I meant was, have either of y’all showered yet? 'Cause wouldn’t that be awkward?” 

Kim rolled her eyes because _of course_ he would be thinking about something like that, out of all things. His words made it sound like he was genuinely concerned for their unusual situation but his smug grin definitely said otherwise.

Even Jason finally tuned into the conversation, having spent the past few minutes observing the way Billy was taking notes, organized with different subheadings, color-coded and all. 

Trini simply shrugged, “I did. Yesterday.” 

Her unconcerned answer surprised Kim as she looked over at her, “Wait, you did?” 

“Kim, do I really need to remind you that you made me go to cheer practice?” She raised her eyebrows at her, fully aware of how many times she had brought it up in complaint. “Of course I showered.” 

“My God,” Kim made a big show of rolling her eyes and groaning dramatically, “If only you would let that go the way you let go of that poor cheerleader.” 

Trini tipped her head back as she closed her eyes in exasperation, muttering Spanish curse words under her breath as she ignored the laughter coming from Kim and the boys. At least Billy was too busy with his notes to join in, Trini thought. 

Of course Kim felt bad for having put Trini through that yesterday but it would be a huge understatement to say she was only slightly amused when she got the texts from the other girl last night, explaining everything that had happened at practice.

And it would be a huge lie to say that she didn’t jump on the first chance to tell the boys when they’d met up again at the beginning of lunch. Jason had asked how bad it actually was, thinking back to the girls bickering earlier that morning, and Kim had been quick to pull up the messages, much to Trini’s dismay. 

Though she’d been too hungry at the time to actually reprove anyone, Trini had settled for angrily chomping down on her sandwich while giving them all a death glare until Billy had started with the questions.

Curiosity got the best of Kim though and she couldn’t help but ask about the shower, “So, uh, how did that...go?” 

It’s not that she was self-conscious or that she didn’t trust Trini with something like this but it still felt strange knowing someone else had so much rule over her body when she wasn’t even there to do anything about it. 

“Don’t flatter yourself, Kim. It’s surprisingly hard to shower with your eyes closed the entire time.” 

Which was true. Trini hadn’t realized how much of a problem showering would actually be until she was about to undress yesterday. She had been too focused on getting back to Kim’s house and forgetting about cheerleading. Only when she’d stepped into the bathroom, ready to rid herself of the sweaty workout clothes, had she looked in the mirror and realized. 

It was awkward, sure, trying to shower with her eyes closed the entire time. Or up, at least. 

But still, Trini wanted to be respectful and she definitely wasn’t going to avoid showering, seeing as none of them knew how long they’d actually be stuck like this. Having to live in someone else's body was already bad enough but she would much rather have it be a clean one. 

They finished up the rest of their food as they fell into light conversation, the remainder of lunch going by fairly quickly and uneventful. Mainly powered by Zack running through the list of famous people he’d want to switch with until they eventually had to part ways and continue the rest of the school day. 

* * *

The hallway was relatively empty. Only a few students hanging around, waiting for class to start; Trini being one of them. Free period was about to end and she’d left the library early, hoping to catch Kim before Biology started.

Her hands were mindlessly playing with the necklace Kim had given back to her, the girls earlier words from that morning ringing in her head. About working together. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, Trini knew Kim was right. After all, they had both been affected by this and they wouldn’t get anywhere unless they tried to solve it as a team. 

And she figured having the only other person who knows what she’s going through on her side wouldn’t exactly be the worst thing. 

Her eyes were down as she watched her feet instinctively take her towards the classroom, actually looking forward to Biology for once. She rounded the corner to the science wing of the building. Before she could fully process her surroundings, a hand gripped around her arm, roughly pulling her to the side. 

“Dude, what the fu-” 

_Ugh._ Ty Flemming _. Great_. 

“Should a girl like you really be using words like that, Kimmy?” 

“What do you want, Ty?” she growled, not keen on hiding her irritation. She tugged at her arm, making him let go of his grip on her. 

Trini might have been clueless about Kim’s relationships with the rest of the school but if there was one thing she did know, it was her and Ty.

Usually, Trini would refrain from any sort of high school gossip, finding it redundant and unnecessary and this wasn’t any different. However, the news about the head cheerleader and basketball captain breaking up was impossible to miss. Even if you lived under a rock it seemed. 

“Come on, Kimmy, don’t be like that,” his voice thickly and gross, “I was just hoping we could, you know, have some fun again.” He leaned his forearm against the locker behind her, blocking her from leaving as he eyed her body with a lewd smirk. “If your little phase is over.” 

She narrowed her eyes at him, “Aren’t you dating Amanda?” and pushed him off, not particularly interested in the actual answer. 

Nobody actually knew why the pair broke up though, which meant Angel Grove High had quickly started a whirlwind of rumors consisting of all sorts of ridiculous ideas. Trini had managed to avoid most of them but the most prominent seemed to be that Ty dumped Kim for Amanda Clarke. 

She made it a few steps before he was in front of her again. “She doesn’t have to know,” he brought a hand up, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She quickly slapped it away, growing more and more uncomfortable. “What do you say?” 

“ _I say_ ,” she snarled out, her patience growing thin, “get the hell away from me.” 

With one hard push, she shoved him away and took long strides forward, ignoring the staring eyes they had attracted now.

He caught up and grabbed her arm with even more force this time, turning her around, “Why do you have to be such a bitch all the time?” 

His eyes were locked on her, now having gone from confident to irate. Trini kept his gaze, trying to stand her ground and ignoring the small part of her that was scared of what he would do. 

She watched his eyes drop to her neck, his face morphing into even more anger as he tightened his grip on her hand, “And what the hell is this?” 

Trini looked down, following his gaze to the necklace around her. “What? You’re parading it around now?” he scoffed out. “It’s like you _want_ everyone to think you’re a slut.” 

That was the last straw. Trini grabbed his wrist, ripping it off her arm as her jaw clenched. She tried to swallow down her anger but she was seconds away from doing something stupid. 

And she came close. Before a voice was heard behind him. 

“Leave her alone, asshole.” 

A voice that was becoming all too familiar. 

He turned around, probably expecting someone else. Someone bigger. _Taller._ He relaxed seeing who it was, assuming it was just the quiet girl wanting to play hero. 

“This doesn’t concern you.” 

“Funnily enough, it really does,” Kim said, crossing her arms. 

“Yeah?” he scoffed out, “And who the hell are you?” 

“I’m someone,” she took a step forward, closing the gap between them, “who can tell everyone about how,” and she leaned in, whispering the next part into his ear. It was inaudible to the rest of them, even Trini who was still standing behind him. 

And she didn’t know what Kim said. But whatever it was, it was definitely enough to provoke him. Because before either of them knew it, he was grabbing Kim by the collar of Trini’s bomber jacket and shoving her against the lockers, “Who the fuck are you?”

Her back slammed against the metal, a wave of shocked gasps coming from the students and that's when Trini realized she was wrong before. 

_This_ was the last straw. 

As if on autopilot, her hand grabbed his shoulder, turning him around with all the strength she could muster. And everything else around her blurred. 

Kim. The hallway. The students. 

And as everything seemed to move in slow motion, the only thing Trini could focus on was her chest heaving, her nostrils flared and her hand clenching into a fist. And before she could process what’s happening, before her brain could really catch up with her body, that same fist was colliding with a cheek. And suddenly a limp body was on the floor in front of her. 

And now _everyone_ was staring. Because Kimberly Hart just punched Ty Flemming. 

Kind of. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has read/liked/commented so far! <3


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kim and Trini finally spend some time together before dealing with the aftermath of the Ty incident.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly longer chapter and some fluff to make up for the slow update!

Her feet were frozen in place; hands shaking and heart thumping. The only thing she could hear was the distant sound of Kim calling out to her. 

“T, come on! Let’s go!” 

Except she wasn’t sure how far away Kim actually was. Everything felt distorted and warped. Her eyes drifted in and out of focus. She could hear the murmurs of everyone around her but nothing was clear. 

The feeling of a hand grabbing onto her own was what brought her back to reality. Her eyes blinking rapidly as she adjusted to the sight in front of her. Ty was still on the floor, fingers grazing his lips and looking at the blood that smothered them. 

Before Trini could react, she felt herself starting to take a few steps backwards. Kim’s hand wrapped around her wrist was pulling her away, dragging her through the sea of students who had watched everything unfold. 

They reached the stairs, running down hand in hand as they made their way out the double doors and to the front of the school. 

She had to catch her breath, the adrenaline still coursing through her. Seeing the bench in front of them, she quickly sat down. 

One hand was resting on her knee as the other was wiping the sweat off her forehead. They were still shaking as she looked down, seeing the traces of blood on her knuckles. A mixture of her and Ty’s. 

She looked over at Kim, also trying to catch her breath but unlike Trini, a huge grin had taken over her face and she was letting out a breathy laugh. 

Trini could only groan. “Dude, how are you smiling right now?” 

“Are you kidding me?” she exclaimed, her smile never faltering as she made her way over and sat down on the table, her feet propped up next to Trini on the bench, “This is the best day of my life.” 

“Your ex shoves you against a locker and you’re...happy?” 

Kim rolled her eyes, “No, not about that...You punched his  _ tooth _ out!” 

“Oh, my god…” Trini tilted her head back, letting out a long groan as the realisation hit her, “Is that what that sound was?” 

In the midst of everything, Trini faintly remembered the sound of something falling to the floor but she definitely didn’t think she had managed to punch a whole tooth out. 

“This is bad. This is so, so bad,” she leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees as she tried to soothe at her temples. 

Kim waved her hand nonchalantly, “Don’t worry, I’m sure they can put it back.” 

“I  _ punched  _ someone, Kim. I’m gonna get in so much trouble,” her right leg was bouncing up and down now, trying to relieve her nerves. 

Kim straightened up, sensing her distress now. “Hey, look at me,” she quickly moved from the table, sitting down beside Trini on the bench so they were sat at the same height.

She carefully grabbed Trini’s wrist, pulling it away from her face, “We’re switched, remember? So everyone thinks it was me, anyway. You won’t get in trouble, Trini.”

Trini took a deep breath, nodding slightly at her words, wanting to believe them. 

“I promise,” Kim added. 

She still had a hold on Trini’s hand, examining the roughed up knuckles. “Does it hurt?” 

It took a moment for Trini to register what she meant before following Kim’s gaze down to her hand, carefully retracting it as she did so. “I’ll be fine,” she smoothed the skin, wincing slightly at the contact. 

Trini spoke up again, keeping her eyes down as she realised Kim would be taking the fall. “So, you’re not mad at me? For punching him and getting you in trouble?” 

A short moment went by where Kim was visibly confused, her nose crinkling and brows furrowing; right before bursting into laughter. “You kidding me? I’ve had  _ dreams  _ about punching him, Trini.” 

Trini felt her shoulders drop as she relaxed. Kim’s laidback attitude was surprising but it did help in calming her down and feeling slightly less guilty about getting the girl in trouble. 

“If anything, I’m just jealous I didn’t get a punch in,” Kim scoffed. 

“Well, we can always go back,” Trini joked, the air around them now lighter. 

A small chuckle came from Kim, before her tone got more serious. “Speaking of,” she rose from her seat, “We should probably get out of here before someone comes looking for us.”

“What about Biology?” 

She raised her eyebrows, looking at Trini expectedly. “You really want to go back there right now?” she asked, pointing her thumb at the school building behind them. 

Trini hesitated; she wasn’t one to skip class. Dealing with June afterwards was never worth it. 

Then again, she wasn’t normally one to punch a guy’s tooth out either. 

She joined Kim, walking side by side across the school grounds. The sun was out, providing a sheet of warmth against the colder breeze of the afternoon. Trini’s hands were wrapped around the straps of her backpack, nervously picking at the material as she mulled over what happened. 

Everything had gone down so fast she didn’t get a chance to fully process it. Though there was one part she was still curious about. 

“So, what’d you tell Ty that made him react like that?” 

Kim chuckled at the reminder, “I just told him that if he doesn’t leave you alone, I’ll tell everyone about the time he peed himself during Mr. Richard’s English quiz last year and ‘ _ Kim’  _ had to come save his ass.” 

“No way…” 

“Yup,” Kim nodded, laughing at the shocked expression on Trini’s face. “He had to stay behind after everyone left so I could bring him some change of clothes.” 

“And you still dated him for another year?” Trini joked. 

Kim let out a small laugh, playfully shoving Trini’s side, “Shut up.”

They were almost out of the school premises, making their way through the car park and out the gates when Trini spoke up again. 

“So where are we going?” 

“You’ll see.” 

\---------

It had been 20 minutes since they’d left school and Kim had still refused to say where they’re going.

At first, Trini figured they were headed to Kim’s house as they got closer to the mountains on that side of the town. Instead they had continued up, trekking through the wooded parts which had only left Trini more lost. 

The only clue to their whereabouts was the gate with the restricted access sign they had passed earlier by the quarry, with Kim insisting that it wasn’t technically trespassing since she lived nearby while Trini argued against that logic as she hesitantly followed the other girl. 

“Kim, I really don’t think killing me is the best way to try and switch us back.” 

“Don’t be so dramatic,” Kim had been expertly making her way through the uneven ground while Trini was behind her, struggling and stumbling her way past the underbrush and roots around them, “We’re almost there.” 

“Great,” Trini huffed out sarcastically, pushing a branch out of the way as she tried to keep up, “Can’t wait to see my final resting place.” 

“Two days in a cheerleader’s body and already acting like a drama queen, I see,” Kim called out from where she was ahead of the other girl. 

“I’m just saying, if you’re going to murder me at least do it somewhere nice. It’s only polite.” 

The faint laughter of Kim could be heard in front of her as Trini trudged her way through the heaps of twigs and sticks that snapped under her steps. She finally caught up, coming to a halt in front of Kim who was standing with her arms crossed and an amused expression on her face. “You done?” she raised her eyebrows expectantly, “Cause we’re here.” 

She turned around, pushing away the few branches that were obscuring the view and holding them to the side for Trini to walk through. She stepped past, taking in her new surroundings. 

It was a more solid foundation, a flat open space paved with the rocks from the mountain. Grass has fought its way through the cracks and trees lined up around the perimeter, stopping at the end of what seemed to be the cliff’s edge. They provided enough privacy from outsiders but still brittle enough to let the sunlight cast over.

Trini came to a stop at the end of the cliff, peering down at the small pool of water below it. “So this is your plan?” she called out to Kim behind her, “Push me down and make it look like an accident?” 

An amused scoff left Kim before rolling her eyes, “If I was actually planning to kill you, I assure you it’d be more sophisticated than that.” She took off Trini’s bomber jacket that she was wearing, folding it up and laying it down on the ground as she sat. 

“Nice to know I’m in good hands,” Trini sarcastically rolled out as she made her way over, settling down beside a rock next to Kim, “So then what is this place, anyway?” 

Kim sighed, running her fingers through the thick strands of Trini’s black hair she was getting used to. “I found it a while ago, around the time I broke up with Ty, and I’ve just been coming here a lot since then. Helps clear my head, getting away from it all,” she laid down on her back, resting her head on the jacket, “Thought you could use it after everything that went down today.”

“That’s...actually pretty sweet. Thanks.” 

It came out sheepish, much like when Kim had given her the necklace back, once again surprised at the cheerleader’s thoughtfulness.

Kim closed her eyes. A small, almost smug, smile etched its way across her lips, like she knew she was proving Trini wrong about her. 

There was a few minutes of silence after that, both of them reeling in the peace and quiet. Kim was laying down, basking in the last few rays of the afternoon sun while Trini could only stare, looking at her own reflection so at peace when it was inhabited by Kim. So content when her actual self was far from it. 

Maybe it was the nerves of knowing they would have to go back eventually and deal with the aftermath of the Ty incident. Or the fact that they were skipping class. Or that this was probably the first real interaction her and Kim were having, at least one that lasted more than five minutes. 

She was the first to break the silence. 

“So...” 

“So..?” Kim hummed out inquisitively. 

“Can I ask what actually happened between you and Ty?” 

“Ah,” Kim was still laying on her back, basking in the sun as one eye peeked open in Trini’s direction, “Angel Grove High’s million dollar question, huh?”

Trini simply shrugged, bringing her knees up to her chest and awkwardly playing with the sleeves of her shirt.

“Not yours, though. Right?” Kim hummed out, her voice calm but with a small challenging tone lingering behind it. Her hands were resting on her stomach, following as it rose with each breath.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’m just saying. I know people talk, but you don’t care about all that high school gossip, right?” she raised a brow in Trini’s direction. “Don’t get me wrong though, I can admire that. But let me guess, you also think cheerleaders are just mean girls and jocks are just dicks. I mean, that is why you’ve avoided making any effort to talk to me all year, no?” 

Her tone wasn’t menacing like it maybe should have been, Trini thought, and if anything she respected the fact that Kim wasn’t afraid to call her out. And she wasn’t exactly wrong either, Trini hadn’t made an effort. 

She sighed, going back to picking at her sleeves. “It’s just…we move around constantly. So I guess at some point I stopped giving people the chance to prove me wrong. And most of the time, the stereotypes are right anyway.”

“How do you know?” 

“Know what?” 

“That they’re right.” 

“I don’t know. I just...know.” 

“Real convincing argument there, T,” Kim laughed, “I’m just saying, people are more complex than that. I mean,” she rolled over so she was resting on her stomach, head propped up by her hands as she raised her eyebrows at Trini inquisitively, “I’m a cheerleader and I’m not the mean girl you thought I was, right?” 

“Hmm,” Trini hummed out, looking into the distance as if deep in thought, “Jury’s still out on that one…” 

A small chuckle came from Kim as she shook her head. “Asshole.” 

Trini found herself mirroring the smile, surprised at how easy it felt with Kim. 

“So?” she drew out again. 

“So?”

“You and Ty?”

“Right,” Kim sighed. She sat up, resting her back against the rock behind her. She took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts. 

“So, a couple of months ago I decided to finally tell him that I’m bi. I figured he wouldn’t really care since his older sister is gay but he started freaking out instead, got really insecure. I couldn’t spend a day with Amanda without him blowing up my phone cause he was paranoid that we were hooking up or something. After a while it just got worse, he made some really ignorant comments, kept saying it was a phase and that I’d be ‘fixed’ eventually,” she said with a deep sigh. 

“So I dumped his ass.” 

“I-...Wow.” 

It was all Trini could get out to begin with, still processing everything she had told her. 

Out of all the rumors that had been circulating, surprisingly none of them had been about either of the pairs sexuality. At least not the ones Trini had heard. Yet, in the span of two days the quarterback and the head cheerleader had both come out to her. 

In hindsight, she felt oblivious for not realising it sooner. Thinking back to what Jason had alluded to that day in the library when he thought he was talking to Kim as well as Ty’s comment earlier about the necklace.

“Yup,” Kim said, popping the ‘p’, “And after all that, turns out  _ he  _ was the one who had been sleeping with Amanda behind my back for three months before we broke up. Before I even came out to him.” 

Trini sat with her mouth agape, staring at her wide-eyed, “You’re kidding, right?” 

Shaking her head, Kim let out a wry laugh. 

“So I was right,” Trini scoffed. “Cheerleaders  _ are _ mean and jocks are just dicks,” she said, attempting to lighten the mood. 

“Hey!” Kim exclaimed, feigning offence as she pointed her index finger at the other girl, “I’m still a cheerleader too, so watch yourself.” 

Trini shrugged and put her hands up in defence of the comment, both of them laughing in beat for a moment. 

But she promptly cleared her throat, not wanting to downplay everything Kim had opened up to her with. “In all seriousness though, that’s pretty fucked up,” she said, “I’m really sorry you had to go through that.” 

“Ah, it's fine,” Kim waved her hand dismissively, “Honestly, I was sort of relieved to finally have an excuse to break up with him.” She looked down, mindlessly playing with the grass by her feet before speaking up again, her words coming out quieter, softer, this time. “Having Amanda betray me hurt more though, I guess.” 

Right.  _ Amanda.  _

“So, wait,” Trini furrowed her brows in confusion, “Why do you still hang out with her after what she did?” 

“It’s complicated, I guess,” she sighed, running her fingers through her hair. A habit of hers Trini had picked up on. “Her dad is sort of a silent partner for my dad’s law firm and when my parents heard about our falling out, they got worried that he’d cut the funding and so they asked me to keep her close in a way,” she explained, though it came out bitter. 

“And, I don’t know,” she continued, “We’ve been friends for a long time so I guess a part of me is hoping the old Amanda is still in there. The one who almost beat up Jason Scott in 3rd grade because she thought he was pulling at my pigtails,” she chuckled dryly at the bittersweet memory, “Poor kid was just trying to get a twig out of my hair.” 

Trini shot her a sympathetic look, unsure of what to say. The only person who really vented to her or asked for advice was Billy and a listening ear was usually the only thing needed since he’d say all his thoughts out loud until he eventually came to a solution himself, before she even got a word in. 

“I think,” Trini sighed, “I think a lot of people try to hold onto things from their past, things that made them happy. Gives you the illusion that you can freeze time and stay in that memory forever but things change. People change. What makes you happy changes.” 

“Yeah. I suppose you’re right,” Kim offered back, almost in a whisper. The afternoon sun was making its way down now, the orange hues of the sunset seeping in through the cracks of the trees, illuminating their skin. “And I guess time doesn’t always determine the value of things,” she continued, her voice low and soft as she looked at Trini, “Sometimes you meet someone, and you realise they understand you better than someone you’ve known your whole life.” 

“Right,” Trini said, her lips curving into a small smile as she looked away shyly.

A short beat passed, both of them looking over the cliff's edge as the horizon was slowly being painted with the red and yellow strokes of the sunset. 

“Hey, I’m really sorry about today,” Kim spoke up, “I didn’t mean for you to get involved in the whole Ty thing.” 

“It’s cool. I’m Kimberly Hart, right?” Trini teased, “Nothing I can’t handle.” 

They both let out a small laugh, partly from remembering the absurdity of their whole situation. 

“You, on the other hand,” Trini started, slowly getting up from her place, “Are Trini Gomez right now and Trini Gomez has a June, so we should probably start heading back.”

Kim agreed, grabbing the jacket and her bag as she rose. “Fine but next time we come here, we’re going to do what I actually do when I come here,” her eyes in the direction of the cliff edge, a sly smirk on her lips. 

Trini followed her gaze, taking a few seconds to realise what she meant and staring back wide eyed when she did. “Kim, are you crazy? I am not diving into water from  _ that _ .” 

“Yeah, you are.” 

“No, I am not.” 

“Yeah. You are,” Kim chuckled, “You realise this is going to be cheer practise all over again, right? Protest all you want but you’re jumping into that water with me one day.” 

“Definitely not.” 

“We’ll see.” 

“Kim,  _ no _ .” 

“We’ll see.” 

* * *

Before Kim had even opened the door, she could hear the distant sounds of the boys running around the house, Diego yelling out orders as they played some sort of game. The faint aroma of food made its way to her nostrils, becoming even stronger as she stepped foot inside. 

She was hoping to make a quick escape to Trini’s room to change out of her clothes and finally shower. She quietly made her way towards the stairs, thankful that the family seemed busy in other parts of the house. 

Her few encounters with June had been pretty terrifying so far and if the woman had got hold of what happened at school today then Kim definitely wanted to postpone that reaction for as long as she could. And coming home late probably wouldn’t help either. 

She was almost there, one foot up on the stairs that creaked lowly beneath her weight, when she heard June’s voice calling out to her. 

“Trini? Is that you?” 

The woman appeared out of the corner, resting her hip on the kitchen doorway as she crossed her arms in front of her. Kim hoped she couldn’t tell how tense she was, her hand having unconsciously tightened its grip around the banister at the sound of the woman's voice, her knuckles turning white. 

“Where have you been? You’re home later than usual.” 

Kim rubbed the back of her neck nervously, feeling her skin heat up at the thought of what’s about to come. 

“Just out...with a friend.” 

It came out measly, a low mumble. It surprised Kim how intimidated she was by Trini’s mother. 

Sure, her own mom could be real scary sometimes if she wanted to but at least with her, Kim had spent a lifetime learning her reactions and levels of dismay and how best to deal with them. 

June on the other hand, she was a wildcard. And infinitely more intimidating. 

The woman narrowed her eyes at her, her lips pursed. “The school called,” she started off carefully, making her way closer, “they told me what happened.” 

At this point, Kim had such a vice grip on the wooden railing she was sure it would splinter any second. She watched the woman move from the doorway and Kim couldn’t quite pinpoint the expression on her face. Like a scornful look mixed with discontentment, disappointed but not surprised.

Whatever it was, it definitely didn’t look good as she made her way closer and closer to Kim. Until finally, they were face to face and Kim couldn’t be sure she remembered how to breathe normally. 

Though it felt like an eternity had passed for Kim with the woman staring her down, it was more like a millisecond before June’s shoulders dropped, her face drowning in nothing but worry as she brought her hands up to cup her daughter’s cheeks. “Mija, are you okay?” she tilted Kim’s head down carefully, placing a quick kiss to her forehead, “How’s your head? Did he hurt you?” 

It took a moment for Kim to compose herself, startled by the woman’s reaction. Safe to say it definitely wasn’t how she expected this to go. 

“N-No, I’m fine,” she managed to stutter out eventually. 

She could tell June wanted more out of her but a loud crash saved her. It came from the other room, the sound of something falling to the floor and shattering. Judging by the change in June’s exterior, it was clear she knew her children well enough to know exactly what happened. 

She dropped her hands from Kim’s cheeks, turning her head to yell out, “Diego! Gabriel! What have I said about running inside?!” 

Kim couldn’t help but be a little intimidated at how fast the woman could go from sweet to angry. 

June huffed, her brows in a frown as she made her way towards the living room to deal with the twins but not before turning back to Kim with a pointed index finger, “I am calling that boy’s parents first thing tomorrow and giving them a piece of my mind.” 

Kim let out a long breath, dropping her shoulders and finally relaxing. That definitely could have gone a lot worse. And she’d be lying if she said she wouldn’t enjoy seeing Ty get a taste of June Gomez’ berating. 

She turned around, quickly running up the stairs and into Trini’s room. A shower was definitely needed. 

Dropping her backpack and jacket to the floor, she grabbed a fresh set of clothes and a towel before making her way to the bathroom down the hall. She set the clothes down, reaching in to turn the shower on for the water to heat up before getting in. 

She was about to strip herself of the clothes when she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror, looking at the person staring back at her. 

Zack’s earlier words were ringing in the back of her head, albeit less crude. Not that she’d ever admit it to him but the idiot was right; Trini is beautiful. 

They had been lab partners for almost a year but Kim never got the chance to really look at her. And now they were finally getting to know each other and of course it had to be after some crazy body-switching situation, she thought. 

Kim stepped forward, taking a closer look. Her fingers impulsively lifted, softly grazing at the little curves of her mouth. There was a small dip, almost like a dimple, running down the length of the girl’s lower lip. Unnoticeable if you didn’t pay close attention. 

A small glimmer caught her eye; Trini’s nose ring. Kim couldn’t help but smile ever so slightly, thinking about June’s reaction the day Trini came home with that. 

Her eyes travelled further up, along the slope of her nose until finally coming to a rest on a pair of hazel eyes, the smallest hint of ash grey swimming around in them.

She looked at the reflection, realising how little she’d been in front of a mirror ever since switching. Her first time had been the morning of, waking up and seeing her lab partner instead of herself.

Ever since then though, the only reminders had been external. Hearing Trini’s voice whenever she spoke. Running her hand through long hair again. Seeing herself whenever she spoke to Trini. 

Kim couldn’t help but be amused at the whole situation. They had spent almost a year as lab partners, sitting next to each other everyday yet it took the ridiculous, scientific mystery of body switching for them to finally talk and get to know each other. 

Even so, Kim wanted to believe it was headed somewhere great; even if it took the strangest way of getting there. 

* * *

She turned the key, unlocking the door to Kim’s house and stepping into the foyer. 

The quiet still had some getting used to. 

It was a big house too; compared to what Trini was used to, at least. Even though technically speaking, she lived there for the time being, Trini didn’t exactly feel comfortable making herself at home in a strangers house, especially when none of them were actually there. 

She had taken a quick look around that first day, to get an idea of the layout of the house, but other than that she had stuck to only the essential parts of the house; bedroom, bathroom, kitchen. 

She made her way up to Kim’s room, dumping her backpack on the floor and falling back on the mattress. She took a long deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment.

Realistically, her mind should have been occupied with the worries of everything that went down with Ty. She knew going to school tomorrow wouldn’t be a breeze. Even if she didn’t exactly regret the punch, she knew she had probably earned Kim at least a month's worth of Saturday detention. Something Kim will still have to go to once they’ve switched back. And explaining that it wasn’t  _ technically  _ Kim who threw the punch probably won’t be an option. 

Yet, all these worries were taken over by her time with Kim at the cliff. 

She’d been surprised at how easy it felt with her, as though she couldn’t believe that this was the same girl who had sat next to her everyday, the one who could practically make all of Angel Grove High fall to their knees. 

Except, she was sure the Kim she saw today wasn't the Kimberly Hart everyone fawned over. Trini wanted to believe that she saw the real Kim today. At least, as real as you could be while body-swapped, she thought. 

Still, it felt different today and in a way that surprised even herself, Trini wanted to see a friend in Kimberly Hart. 

She glanced around Kim’s room, taking it all in. Much like the rest of the house, Trini hadn’t really paid attention. Even if she was made to live as Kim, it didn’t exactly give her permission to go through the girls' stuff as if it was her own. 

She couldn’t help but take a look around still. Everything seemed so lived in. Like every puzzle of Kim’s life was here, all the roots she had put down. 

For Trini, constantly moving around meant having as few possessions as possible. Anything that couldn’t be passed down to the twins was immediately added to the yard sale her parents had before each move. It got easier as she got older, learning to not hold things too close to heart, but it was still always hard letting go. 

Her dad tried making it up to her every time, though. He’d let her get any ice cream she wanted from the money they made from her stuff and of course Trini always went with the biggest banana split she could get. And she was determined to finish it by herself every single time but she always caved and shared it with the twins.

She took a step towards the vanity, looking at all the pictures that were lined up around the mirrors frame. There were mainly photos of Kim and Amanda, most of which seemed to be from their middle school days. If the tacky 00’s fashion they were clad in was anything to go by. 

They seemed to lessen as the years went by, though. The most recent one Trini could see was one with the two girls, both dressed in their cheerleader outfits and standing side by side with huge grins adorning their younger faces. Must have been the first day of practise. 

There were a few of Kim and Zack too. Most of which were clearly taken by the latter and seemed to have a recurring theme; Zack holding out the camera and making a goofy face while Kim only looked unimpressed. A small smile hinting in each of them, though. They were strategically placed too, scattered around the frame, covering up the few photos Ty was in.

The oldest out of all of them seemed to be one with a young Kim next to a boy, both about five or six years old. Trini took a closer look, letting out a low chuckle as she realised who it was. 

Jason, with his tongue out and eyes crossed and one arm slung around Kim’s shoulder. Her smile was wide and bright in that innocent way, and with a gap right in the middle where her two front teeth were missing. 

Trini couldn’t help but smile fondly, taking it all in almost bittersweetly. Moving around so often, she never had the chance to grow up with the same friends. No one that she grew close enough with to keep in touch. Hell, she can barely remember any of their names.

And here was Kim, pictures from over a decade ago with people that were still part of her narrative. It was much less envy than it was thinking what could have been. Maybe not the pink walls but Trini couldn’t help but imagine what a room of hers would look like had she had the chance to put roots down. 

Pondering over who would have been in all the pictures. If there would be a wall with pencil marks keeping track of her height as a kid. If she would paint her walls in her favourite colour too.

She sighed, shaking the thoughts out of her head and remembering Kim’s words. Time doesn’t always determine value. 

She grabbed her headphones from her bag instead and made her way to the stairs.

She figured she could make use of an empty house and cook for once. It was something Trini actually loved but rarely did. Cooking for her family always had its complications. There was a long list of things Diego couldn’t stand in his food and another, equally long, list of things Gabriel didn’t like. So cooking always meant making three variations of the same dish. 

And if it wasn’t that, it was having June constantly check up on her and shadowing her every move, with Trini insisting that she knows what she’s doing every five minutes. 

Deciding to make chicken enchiladas, she had to give her mother some credit. On the few occasions that they could get along for more than an hour, June and Trini would often cook together and the first dish she had taught her was enchiladas. 

She raided the fridge and the pantry, pulling out everything she would need. Once she was ready to start, she grabbed her phone and opened up her music app. Wanting to stay as authentic as possible, she clicked the playlist that she had made shortly before the second time her and June had cooked together. A compilation of Spanish music the pair both loved and would find themselves dancing to around the kitchen while they prepared the food. 

Trini had planned on using her headphones like she was used to at home but she made note of the speakers in the Hart kitchen, quickly connecting her phone and turning the music up. 

She set her phone down on the dining table, away from the kitchen counter, and got started. 

Everything was purely automatic at this point. She had made the dish enough times now to rely on instinct alone to get the exact right mixture of spices and seasoning. 

Trini found herself singing along to the music and swaying her hips to the beat. It was a nice change from the usual quiet of Kim’s house that she was getting used to and Trini was finally enjoying herself. 

So much so that she didn’t hear her phone. And the many missed calls and texts from Kim. 

**Kimberly H**

**(7:34pm):** _ Missed call (1) _

**(7:35pm):** trini pick up 

**(7:35pm):** call me back asap

She was almost done, putting the finishing touches before it was all to go into the oven. 

**(7:39pm):** _ Missed call (2) _

**(7:41pm):** my parents are coming back early

**(7:41pm):** they’re gonna be home any second

Trini grabbed a rag, wiping down the kitchen counter from the mess she had made. The music was still blaring as Trini started clearing away the things she was done with, singing along to the lyrics as she did so. 

As much as she enjoyed her metal and other, less conventional music genres that her mother didn’t particularly approve of, Spanish music was something Trini always came back to. 

Even though some words were harder to pronounce as Kim, like the rolling of the r’s, Trini was surprised by the girl’s vocals and so had gone from quietly humming under her breath to full on singing along with the songs. 

Which meant she definitely didn’t hear the sound of the front door opening, or the sound of Kim’s name being called out. 

She was in the pantry, putting back the extra ingredients she hadn’t used, halfway through the chorus of the song as she made her way back to the kitchen when she yelped. Actually yelped. 

Because there, standing by the kitchen entrance was Ted and Maddy Hart, arms crossed and with ridiculously confused expressions on their faces. 

“Kimberly, what is going on here?” 

“And since when do you know Spanish?”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you to everyone that's still reading and enjoying the story! <3
> 
> feel free to come scream about trimberly with me on tumblr - triniharteyes


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